DNA IMAGE CYTOMETRY IN CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA

The prognostic significance of the DNA index was studied using image c ytometry in a series of 38 children (aged younger than 15 years) with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at the time of diagnosis. Also, the DNA index results were compared with clinical and biologic parameters . Feulgen-stained speci- mens were prepared from bone marrow, and for each patient, 600 blast nuclei were analyzed. Specimens from 29 patien ts (76%) showed diploidy, only 1 was found to have hypodiploidy, and 8 (21%) were found to have a DNA index greater than or equal to 1.10. A mong the diploid group, 14 (48%) had >5% of cells in S and G2 + M phas es. Longer event-free survival was observed in the DNA hyperdiploidy g roup. This group had no structural abnormality, and hyperdiploidy was more often, but not closely, related to favorable prognostic factors ( age, leukocytosis and immunophenotype). The DNA index analyzed by imag e cytometry might be used to identify a subset of patients with childh ood ALL with hyperdiploidy and a favorable prognosis.