Prognostic significance of bone-marrow pattern and immunophenotypic score in B-chronic lymphocytic leukemia at...

The clinical course and outcome of B-CLL is various and so far unpredictible. Defining prognostic parameters potentiating division of patients in groups with favorable and unfavorable prognosis which could help the benefit assessment of early treatment, improve treatment effects, and potentiate treatment modification for each patient.

To analyze the bone-marrow (BM) pattern and immunophenotypic score at diagnosis of B-CLL and determine the correlation of BM pattern with the clinical stage of disease and immunophenotypic score.

A sample of 40 untreated patients with B-CLL was divided into two groups: group with clinical stage Binet A and group with clinical stages Binet B and Binet C. BM patterns were observed as a diffuse, interstitial, nodular and mixed. BM immunophenotyping included CD5, CD23, CD22, and CD20 as an indirect indicator of FMC7.

The overall sample mean age was 62.88 years +/- 11.10, without significant difference in the age of two compared groups (63.15 +/- 10.53 years vs. 62.60 +/- 11.50 years) (t = 0.16, df= 38, p = 0.88). Proportion of men was significantly higher in stages Binet B and C (12/20) compared to stage Binet A (5/20) (Z=2.24, p=0.025). The percentage of women was higher than men in Binet A stage (75% vs. 25%). The BM patterns in Binet A stage were observed as follows: mixed 50% (10/20), interstitial 30% (6/20), nodular 15% (3/20) and diffuse 5% (1/20). The BM patterns in Binet B and C stages were observed as follows: diffuse 50% (10/20), mixed 40% (8/20), interstitial 5% (1/20) and nodular 5% (1/20). Clinical stage and the BM patterns were significantly associated (c2=8.02, p=0,005). The chance for non-diffuse patterns was 19 times higher in stage Binet A compared to stages Binet B and C, respectively, analyzing 95% CI at least 2 times higher (95% CI: 2.02-866.6). Immunophenotypic score in total sample was observed as follows: score 4: 5% (2/40), score 3: 72.5% (29/40), score 2: 20% (8/40) and score 1: 2,5% (1/40). Immunophenotypic score 3 and > 3 had 77.5% of patients (31/40), but there was no significant association between the immunophenotypic score and the BM patterns (c2=0.76, p=0.38).

Diffuse BM pattern was significantly associated with the clinical stages Binet B and C, compared to non-diffuse BM patterns which were significantly associated with the clinical stage Binet A. Diffuse BM pattern represent the parameter of progressive disease compared to the non-diffuse BM patterns which are more often represented in stable disease. Immunophenotypic score improves diagnostic accuracy of B-CLL, but should not be used as a prognostic parameter of B -CLL.