EVALUATION OF SURFACE MARKERS IN CHILDHOOD ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA BEFORE AND AFTER THERAPY

In our study of surface markers of Iranian children affected by acute lymphocytic leukemia, the majority(80 %)had non-T, non-B, or null cell leukemia. The null- cell l e ukemia had a better p r ogno s l s as was conf irmed by o t h ers. Twe l v e of our patie nts who had null cell l e ukem i a are a live and well 18 mont hs to 20 mont hs a f t e r initiat i on of the r a py. Three of t he patients who had l e s s than 27' null c e l l s in t he i nitial study died i n a pe r i od o f less than o ne year after d i agnosis. Af t e r therapy while on remission , there was a decrease i n the percentage o f nu l l c e l ls ( i n nul l c e l l l e ukemi a ) a nd an i ncre ase i n t h e p e r centage of T a nd B lymphocyt e s i n the pe r i phe r a l b lood which approachta o n the a ge and sex-matched norma l control s ubjects .