[Prognostic value of T-cell markers in juvenile acute lymphatic leukemia]

Of 58 children with acute lymphatic leukemia who had undergone marker studies of blasts, only 6 (10%) had greater than 30 E+ blasts. Of these, 5 had a high WBC and organomegaly, but only 2 suffered a fatal course. Two more have been in CCR for over 5 years despite other risk factors. Patients with less than 30% E+ cells did not differ from common ALL patients clinically or in their response to treatment. However, 3 older children with Hp-positive but E negative blasts had a very high WBC and died without having remission. Only standardized marker studies, treatment and follow-up of a large series of ALL patients will show the importance to be attached to these and other T-cell markers compared with the better-known clinical and hematologic risk factors.