Clinical significance of CD7 expression in associated with cytogenetics in acute myeloid leukaemia

Objective:To investigate the clinical outcome of CD7 expression in associated with chromosomal karyotype in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Method:The immunophenotype, chromosomal karyotype and clinical characters of 52 AML patients diagnosed and treated at our hospital were analyzed. Result:CD7 was expressed on leukemia cells in 15(28.8%) patients. CD7 expression was lower in M2 (18.5%) and M3 (20%) than other subtypes according to FrenchAmericanBritish (FAB) classification. The expression of immature antigens CD34, HLADR,and CD117 and percentage in older age group(more than 60 years old) were slightly higher in CD7 positive AML than those in CD7 negative AML. The WBC count, incidence of abnormal karyotype, splenohepatomegalia and extramedullary disease was slightly lower in CD7 positive AML than those in CD7 negative AML. Patients expressing CD7 had slightly higher complete remission (CR) rate but slightly shorter disease free survival (DFS) than patients without CD7. More than seventy percentage of AML expressing CD7 had intermediate cytogenetics. The CR rate decreased stepwise from the cases with favourable cytogenetics to the cases with intermediate and unfavourable cytogenetics in all patients, CD7 negative patients or CD7 positive patients. Conclusion:Patients expressing CD7 were more likely to achieve CR, which may be associated with lower WBC count, incidence of abnormal karyotype, splenohepatomegalia and extramedullary disease. Patients expressing CD7 had shorter DFS,which may be associated with old age or expression immature antigens. Chromosomal karyotype was the most valuable prognostic factor in AML with regardless of patients with or without CD7.