Study of CD25 expression on leukemic cells: a prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia

BackgroundAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogeneous hematologic malignancy characterized by a clonal expansion of myeloid blasts. Treatment strategies of patients with AML are based on various prognostic factors, including age and performance status of the patient, as well as cytogenetic and molecular characteristics of the leukemic clone.Our aim was to study the expression of cluster of differentiation (CD)25 in adult Egyptian patients with newly diagnosed AML and to assess its prognostic relevance. MethodsThis study was conducted on 50 newly diagnosed AML patients at the Hematology Unit, Internal Medicine Department, Alexandria Main University Hospital. All patients were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, and laboratory investigations, including detection of CD25 expression on blast cells by flow cytometry. Conventional karyotyping was done on 11 patients at the time of diagnosis. ResultsIn our study group, 12 patients were positive for CD25 expression, and this positivity was associated with worse overall survival and shorter leukemia-free survival. On evaluating the response to treatment among CD25-positive AML patients with normal karyotype, they had lower complete remission rates and higher relapse and death rates. ConclusionsExpression of CD25 in AML patients at presentation can be considered a poor independent prognostic factor