Prognostic significance of immunophenotypic and karyotypic features of Philadelphia positive B-lymphoblastic leukemia in the era of tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract

Background: Philadelphia chromosome (Ph)-positive B-lymphoblastic leukemia exhibits immunophenotypic, karyotypic, and molecular genetic heterogeneity. The prognostic significance of these parameters was assessed in the context of intensive tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)-based chemotherapy. Methods: The authors studied 65 adult patients with Ph-positive acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who received treatment with TKI-based therapy, correlated their clinicopathologic heterogeneity with patient outcome, and compared the findings with those from 60 adult patients with diploid B-cell ALL who received similar chemotherapy without a TKI. Results: Ph-positive ALL was associated with older age (P =.01), the common-B immunophenotype characterized by a greater frequency of CD13 (alanine aminopeptidase) coexpression (P =.004), CD66c (carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 3) expression (P =.007), and CD25 (interleukin-2 receptor alpha chain) expression (P