CD38 expression as an important prognostic factor in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Abstract

CD38 is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed on the surface of leukemic cells in a significant percentage of patients with B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL). A recent study suggested that CD38 expression has prognostic value in CLL. Peripheral blood samples from 218 patients with B-CLL were analyzed by flow cytometry for CD38 expression on CD5/19(+) leukemic cells. Various patient characteristics were studied including age, sex, Rai and Binet stages, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, hemoglobin (Hgb) level, beta-2 microglobulin (beta2M) level in the serum, number of nodal sites involved with disease, and length of survival. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to construct survival curves, and the log-rank statistic was used to compare these curves. CD38 was expressed in 20% or more of leukemic cells in 43% of the patients. Patients with high CD38 expression (20% or more) had significantly shorter survival times (P =.00005). Multivariate analyses showed that CD38 expression is an important prognostic factor associated with high incidence of lymph node involvement (P =.004), lower hemoglobin level (P =.001), hepatomegaly (P =.05), and high beta2M level (P =.00005). CD38 expression identified a group of patients with aggressive disease that was considered by Rai staging to be early-stage disease (Rai stages 0-II). Patients with CD38(+) samples have significantly aggressive disease regardless of their clinical stage. Measurement of CD38 expression by flow cytometry should become a routine test in the evaluation of patients with CLL.

• Authors: S Ibrahim, M Keating, K A Do, S O'Brien, Y O Huh, I Jilani, S Lerner, H M Kantarjian, M Albitar
• Journal: Blood (Blood) Vol. 98 Issue 1 Pg. 181-6 (Jul 01 2001) ISSN: 0006-4971 [Print] United States
• PMID: 11418478 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antigens, CD
• Antigens, Differentiation
• Biomarkers
• Membrane Glycoproteins
• ADP-ribosyl Cyclase
• CD38 protein, human
• NAD+ Nucleosidase
• ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1

Topics

• ADP-ribosyl Cyclase
• ADP-ribosyl Cyclase 1
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Analysis of Variance
• Antigens, CD
• Antigens, Differentiation (blood)
• Biomarkers (blood)
• Female
• Flow Cytometry
• Humans
• Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell (diagnosis)
• Male
• Membrane Glycoproteins
• Middle Aged
• NAD+ Nucleosidase (blood)
• Prognosis
• Survival Rate