Tritiated thymidine labeling index in Indian childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Tritiated thymidine labeling index (LI) was determined in 25 unselected children with cytochemically proved ALL, at various stages of the disease. All the cases were treated by a uniform therapeutic protocol. Pretreatment LI determined in 15 cases showed an inverse correlation with the duration of first complete remission. LI was also studied during remission in 23 patients. Six out of these 23 patients relapsed within subsequent 90 days, while the rest continued to be in remission. Mean LI of the nonerythroid cells in later group of patients was found to be significantly higher than that of the patients who relapsed.