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. 2009 Feb;94(2):224-9.
doi: 10.3324/haematol.13543. Epub 2008 Dec 23.

CD56 expression in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is associated with non-thymic phenotype and resistance to induction therapy but no inferior survival after risk-adapted therapy

Lars Fischer  1 , Nicola Gökbuget, Stefan Schwartz, Thomas Burmeister, Harald Rieder, Monika Brüggemann, Dieter Hoelzer, Eckhard Thiel
Affiliations

CD56 expression in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia is associated with non-thymic phenotype and resistance to induction therapy but no inferior survival after risk-adapted therapy

Lars Fischer et al. Haematologica. 2009 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Expression of CD56 has been associated with poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukemia and aggressive lymphoma.

Design and methods: We analyzed the impact of CD56 expression in a cohort of 452 newly diagnosed adult T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) patients; clinical data were available for 306 patients. Treatment was according to the GMALL study protocols 06/99 and 07/03 stipulating stratification into standard (thymic T-ALL) and high risk (pre- and mature T-ALL) groups.

Results: CD56 expression was detected in 63/452 (13.9%) patients. CD56(+) T-ALL were predominantly of non-thymic (pre-T 35%, mature 41%) immunophenotypic subtypes, whereas 53% of the CD56(-) cases were thymic T-ALL (p=0.00002). CD13, CD33, CD34 and HLA-DR were significantly more frequently expressed. A clonal T-cell receptor rearrangement was detected in 22/23 CD56(+) ALL. No major clinical differences were observed at presentation. Treatment of CD56(+) ALL resulted in a lower rate of complete remissions (70% vs. 88%) (p=0.001) and a higher rate of resistant disease (21% vs. 8%) (p=0.004). CD56 expression had no significant influence on overall (48% vs. 59%) and disease free survival (67% vs. 57%) at three years.

Conclusions: CD56 is expressed on a subset of adult T-ALL with distinct immunophenotypical features and higher resistance to therapy. Most CD56(+) ALL were treated in the high-risk arm of the GMALL study protocols owing to their non-thymic phenotype. Thus after risk adapted treatment a prognostic impact of CD56 expression was not detectable.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Overall survival in adult T-ALL according to CD56-expression, probability of survival at three years (A), and remission duration in adult T-ALL according to CD56-expression; probability of continuing complete remission at three years (B).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

  • T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
    Chiaretti S, Foà R. Chiaretti S, et al. Haematologica. 2009 Feb;94(2):160-2. doi: 10.3324/haematol.2008.004150. Haematologica. 2009. PMID: 19181788 Free PMC article. Review.

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