Expression of Fas ligand in newly diagnosed childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Immunocytochemistry was used to analyze the expression of the Fas ligand (F asL) in sixty-four children with newly diagnosed acute lymphoblastic leukem ia (ALL). FasL expression was detected in 55 of 64 children (86%). Children with newly diagnosed ALL and FasL expression exhibited longer relapse-free and overall survival times under chemotherapy than did patients who did no t express the Fas ligand These data suggest that Fas/FasL mediated signalin g may play a general role in the cytotoxicity of anticancer drugs.