Prognostic value of 5'nucleotidase in acute lymphoblastic leukemia with the common-ALL phenotype.

5'-Nucleotidase (5'NT) is an enzyme found on the surface membrane of leukemic cells with the c-ALL phenotype. We studied 79 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Thirty six of them had the c-ALL phenotype. Within this c-ALL group, ten had 5'-NT positive leukemic cells. Clinical data were available in 33 c-ALL cases. Sex, age and initial white blood cell count were comparable between 5'NT positive and 5'NT negative c-ALL cases. In the 5'NT positive group the probability of complete continuous remission was significantly lower than in the 5'NT negative group (p less than 0.05).