Acute lymphoblastic leukemia of childhood monitored by bacteriocin and flowcytometry.

Bacteriocin and flowcytometric analysis of 106 blood samples from children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were correlated with clinical stages of disease. Bacteriocins interacted selectively with malignant, and not with normal, lymphocytes causing cell cycle perturbation which was rapidly and objectively recorded by the flowcytometer. The patients were grouped as: (A) newly-diagnosed (15); (B) early induction (11); (C) remission with viral infection (7); (D) remission (64); (E) bone marrow relapsed (5); (F) extramedullary relapsed (3); (G) non-malignant pediatric controls (8). Bacteriocin reacted usually with groups A, B, C, E and not with groups D, F and G. Repeated testing correlated well with the clinical status. Blood from 7 patients in remission and from 3 normal individuals, each with transient viral infection, reacted with bacteriocin. A quantitative correlation between peripheral blood blasts or surface markers for ALL and bacteriocin reactivity was not established. Unexpected results were obtained only in 13% (false-positive 11% and false-negative 3%). This test can be recommended for preliminary diagnosis and possibly prognosis of lymphoblastic leukemia and provides means of monitoring progress during chemotherapy.