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Cell birth and death in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: how fast does the neoplastic cell clone expand?
Author(s) -
Hirt Andreas,
Leibundgut Kurt,
Ridolfi Lüthy Annette,
Von der Weid Nicolas,
Wagner HansPeter
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.1997.d01-3571.x
Subject(s) - clone (java method) , medicine , acute lymphocytic leukemia , childhood leukaemia , immunology , precursor cell , cell , pediatrics , cancer research , lymphoblastic leukemia , biology , leukemia , genetics , gene
In 23 children with untreated precursor B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), the daily growth rate of the malignant cell clone was calculated. Cell birth expanded the leukaemic cell clone an average 10–11% per day, programmed cell death or apoptosis reduced the leukaemic cell mass by some 4% per day. From these two variables a net increase in the size of the leukaemic cell population of 6.9 ± 7.3% (range −1.2–27.3%) per day could be calculated. The daily growth rate correlated negatively with the logarithm of the duration of clinical symptoms before the diagnosis of ALL was established ( r =−0.680; P = 0.0004). A long history, especially in children with undefined bone pain and arthralgias, was associated with a very slow expansion of the neoplastic cell clone.