Frequent but nonrandom expression of lymphoid markers on de novo childhood acute myeloid leukemia.

Lymphoid marker expression in 59 cases of de novo childhood acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was as follows: CD2 (15.5%), CD4 (73.8%), CD7 (25.8%), CD19 (22%) and CD56 (28.9%). Individual marker expression, as well as co-expression with other lymphoid markers, could be correlated with the FAB subtype of leukemia and the presence and type of certain leukemia fusion gene transcripts. The data showed that the expression of lymphoid markers in childhood de novo AML was common but nonrandom and was likely a reflection of the biological differences between various types of leukemia.