Hematogones: a new prognostic factor for acute myeloblastic leukemia

Blood. 2011 Jan 27;117(4):1315-8. doi: 10.1182/blood-2010-07-295378. Epub 2010 Nov 15.

Abstract

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patient outcomes remain heterogeneous, and new prognostic tools are needed to assess the risk of relapse. Hematogones (HGs) are normal B-lymphocyte precursors, which increase in number in hematologic diseases. The prognostic impact of the presence of detectable HGs on the leukemia-free survival (LFS) and overall survival of 120 consecutive patients with AML in first complete remission was investigated by flow cytometry. Patients who had HG levels more than 0.01% had a significantly better median LFS (29.2 vs 11.7 months; P = .001) and overall survival (not reached vs 23.5 months; P = .011). According to Cox analysis, an HG level more than 0.01% was an independent predictor of LFS (hazard ratio = 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.28-0.90, P < .03) when age, leukocytosis, the number of chemotherapy cycles, and the standardized cytogenetic and molecular risk subgroups were controlled for. These results indicate that HG analysis may help to define the risk of relapse in AML patients.

Publication types

  • Evaluation Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Hematologic Tests / methods*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / diagnosis*
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / immunology
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / mortality
  • Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / therapy
  • Middle Aged
  • Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid / cytology
  • Precursor Cells, B-Lymphoid / physiology*
  • Prognosis
  • Recurrence
  • Remission Induction
  • Survival Analysis