Immunophenotyping of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Saudi Arabia: second look

Geographical variations in the incidence of disease are of considerable theoretical and practical importance. It has been claimed that the distribution of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) phenotypes in Saudi Arabia is different from that recorded in the Western literature. One hundred and twelve (112) patients under 15 years of age, diagnosed as ALL between January 1992 and May 1994 had immunophenotypes performed on their blast cells. Common ALL (cALL) together with pre-B-ALL, formed 86.5% of the total; B-cell 3%, T-cell 6% and null cell 4.5%. These figures are not significantly different from the Western literature. A previous claim from this institution in 1990, that both null and B-cell ALL were significantly increased compared with elsewhere, is not supported by the present figures. Age and sex distribution, and FAB classification, L1 77%, L2 20% and L3 3%, were also of the same order as described elsewhere and, in particular, there was no increase in the frequency of L3 subtype.