Cell surface expression of c-kit receptors by childhood acute myeloid leukemia blasts is not of prognostic value: a report from the Childrens Cancer Group

The prognostic significance of c-kit receptor expression on leukemic blast cells was determined in 122 children with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) entered onto Childrens Cancer Group protocol 213. Clinical and laboratory characteristics as well as outcome were analyzed according to the percentage of blast cells expressing c-kit receptors and the relative number of c-kit receptors per cell as determined by indirect immunofluorescence. c-kit receptor expression was strongly associated with the expression of the CD34 antigen. However, contrary to findings in adult patients with AML, c-kit receptor expression by childhood AML blast cells was not predictive of a poor response to therapy.