Expression of N-CAM (CD56) on acute leukemia cells: relationship with disease characteristics and outcome

Expression of CD56 was analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence method on bone marrow samples from 94 newly diagnosed patients with acute leukemia (AL), including 59 acute myelogenous leukemias (AML) and 35 acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL). CD56 was expressed on 17 +/- 18% (range: 0-72%) of AML cells and 24 +/- 24% (range: 0-98%) of ALL cells, without significant differences between FAB subtypes in AML, nor immunologic subtypes in ALL. Expression of CD56 was not associated with any clinical or biological characteristic at diagnosis, nor with prognosis in AML or ALL. We do not confirm previously described relationships between CD56 expression and initial characteristics and evolution of acute leukemia.