Ma. Kumagai et al., STROMA-SUPPORTED CULTURE OF CHILDHOOD B-LINEAGE ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA CELLS PREDICTS TREATMENT OUTCOME, The Journal of clinical investigation, 97(3), 1996, pp. 755-760
We developed a stroma cell culture system that suppresses apoptosis of
malignant cells from cases of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
By multiparameter flow cytometric measurements of cell recovery after
culture on stromal layers, we assessed the growth potential of 70 cas
es of newly diagnosed B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia and relat
ed the findings to treatment outcome in a single program of chemothera
py. The numbers of leukemic cells recovered after 7 d of culture range
d from < 1 to 292% (median, 91%). The basis of poor cell recoveries fr
om stromal layers appeared to be a propensity of the lymphoblasts to u
ndergo apoptosis. The probability of event-free survival at 4 yr of fo
llow-up was 50+/-9% (SE) among patients with higher cell recoveries (>
91%), and 94+/-6% among those with reduced cell recoveries (less than
or equal to 91%; P = 0.0003). The prognostic value of leukemic cell r
ecovery after culture exceeded estimates for all other recognized high
-risk features and remained the most significant after adjustment with
all competing covariates. Thus, the survival ability of leukemic cell
s on bone marrow-derived stromal layers reflects aggressiveness of the
disease and is a powerful, independent predictor of treatment outcome
in children with B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.