Significant association between expression of the CD11b surface molecule and favorable outcome for patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia.

The expression of several myeloid and non-lineage associated surface antigens in 70 patients with acute myeloblastic leukemia was investigated in relation to patient and disease characteristics, response to therapy, and prognosis. A leukocyte integrin, CD11b, was the only antigen that showed a significant association with complete remission (CR) duration and survival (P < .025). The mean survival for CD11b+ patients was longer than for CD11b- patients (578 +/- 76 versus 397 +/- 7 days, respectively). CR duration was 897 +/- 84 for CD11b+ patients and 366 +/- 71 for CD11b- patients. Multivariate analysis confirmed the predictive value of CD11b expression for longer survival (relative risk, 3.2; P = .02) and CR duration (relative risk, 3.2; P = .03). CR rate was also significantly higher in CD11b+ patients (77.3%) than in CD11b- patients (46.1%) (P = .01). Survival and remission duration were not influenced by expression of other surface markers including CD13, CD14, CD33, CD34, CD71, CD38, and HLA-DR or by other variables including French-American-British subtype, age, and leukocyte count. Extramedullary disease (EXD) was associated with the presence of both CD13 and CD14 expression (P < .04) but occurred less frequently in CD13+ cases. CD13 expression occurred more frequently in female patients (P = .03). CD38 expression was associated with lower platelet count and an increase in the number of blasts (P < .02).