Apoptosis as a possible way of destruction of lymphoblasts after glucocorticoid treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Apoptosis (programmed cell death) is a physiologic phenomenon wherein the dying cell plays an active part in its own destruction. It has an important role in regulation of the balance of cell proliferation and cell death. The pharmacologic manipulation of apoptosis offers new possibilities for the prevention and treatment of cancer. One of the independent prognostic factors in the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia is the sensitivity of the leukemic cells to corticosteroids. Apoptosis after glucocorticoid therapy is suggested as a prognostic factor in children with leukemia. Peripheral blood of children with acute leukemia was taken for morphologic and flow cytometric studies before and after the onset of prednisolone monotherapy. In most of the cases a positive correlation was observed between the decrease of blast numbers and the increase in apoptotic ratio in peripheral blood. In one case no response was observed either clinically or regarding apoptosis.