Lack of correlation between blast cell size and length of first remission in acute lymphocytic leukemia in childhood.

The bone marrow from 55 children with acute lymphocytic leukemia diagnosed from April 1969 to June 1973 were evaluated for blast cell morphology and size. Sixteen marrows contained a predominance of macrolymphoblasts (greater than 12 mu), while the remainder contained mainly microlymphoblasts. There was no correlation between blast cell size and the known front-end prognostic indicators of age and initial white blood count, nor could blast cell size be used to predict the length of initial bone marrow remission.