Acute myeloid leukemia patients with CD7 positive: analyses of cytogenetic and clinical characteristics

Objective To investigate the cytogenetic and clinical features of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with CD7 positive. Methods Among 788 AML patients in the First Affiliated Hospital of USTC from January 2008 to December 2012, a total of 140 AML patients with CD7 positive were enrolled, and their clinical and cytogenetic characteristics were analyzed respectively. Results According to French-American-British (FAB) classification systems, M5 [47.1 % (66/140)] and M2 [27.1 % (38/140)] were often detected in 140 AML patients with CD7 positive. The positive rate of CD7 in M0 patients [(60.9±13.2) %] was the highest, followed by (53.1±29.5) % in M1 patient. Karyotype analysis showed that 72 (51.4 %) AML patients with CD7 positive had unfavorable karyotypes. Thirty-one (22.1 %) AML patients with CD7 positive simultaneously showed the expressions of lymphoid antigens. Clinically, some AML patients with CD7 positive was accompanied by hyperleukocytosis [75.0 % (105/140)] (white blood count ≥20×109/L) and hepatosplenomegaly [82.1 % (115/140)]. The proportion of elder patients (above 65 years old) and complete remission rate of AML with CD7 positive were lower than those of AML with CD7 negative [25.7 % (36/140) vs. 39.4 % (255/648); 12.1 % (17/140) vs. 24.7 % (160/648), respectively], and there were statistical differences (χ2 = 8.62, P = 0.03; χ2 = 9.70, P = 0.01, respectively). Conclusion AML patients with CD7 positive have specific cytogenetic and clinical characteristics, and poor prognosis. Key words: Leukemia, myeloid, acute; Antigens, CD7; Abnormal karyotype