Abstract
B-ALL is uncommon in children and is associated with a poor prognosis. No distinctive clinical features have been identified. At present B-ALL is defined immunologically by the presence of surface immunoglobulins (slg+) on leukemic lymphoblasts. Since 1976 6/56 (11%) of our newly diagnosed ALL patients have been sIg+ and their data are presented below.
Blasts from all six patients expressed Ia-like antigens, a normal B cell alloantigen; 2/6 reacted with rabbit antiserum specific for human thymic lymphocytes; and 1/6 had a common ALL antigen characteristic of null cell ALL. Receptors for the lectin peanut agglutinin (PNA) were present on 3/5 tested and these 3 patients have died. 2/5 did not express PNA receptors and remain in remission at 36+ and 29+ months.
We conclude that: (1) B-ALL is immunologically heterogenous with some patients simultaneously expressing a common ALL antigen or certain T cell characteristics and (2) the presence of receptors for PNA appears to have prognostic significance in B-ALL.
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Russell, E., Mohanakumar, T., Mcwilliams, N. et al. 864 CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA WITH B-CELL PHENOTYPE (B-ALL). Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 586 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00889
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-00889