[Immunologic phenotype of blast cells in patients with myelocytic leukemia and its clinical significance]

The immunologic phenotype of blast cells was studied in 66 patients with chronic myeloleukemia (CML) in the stage of blast crisis. cALL antigen was determined with the aid of rabbit antiserum, Ia-like antigen with the aid of monoclonal antibodies IKO-I; part of the patients showed cytoplasmic immunoglobulins. As regards the expression of the immunologic markers, the patients were divided in 2 subgroups: the lymphoid one having cALL antigen and/or the cytoplasmic chain of immunoglobulins, and the nonlymphoid having no such markers. The presence of the immunologic markers in blast cells correlated with the cytochemical traits of lymphoblasts (PAS-substance in the granular form). Nine out of the 11 patients belonging to the lymphoid group and 3 out of the 10 non-lymphoid group patients responded by short-term remissions during the treatment according to the AVAMP program.