Motility of leukaemic cells in acute leukaemia related to tumour mass, maturation and FAB classification.

In a group of 56 patients with acute leukaemia, the relation between leukaemic cell motility and peripheral leukaemic cell count, degree of organomegaly, maturation and FAB classification was investigated. Cell motility was studied by means of directly observed motility and scoring of handmirror cells and anti-HLA-capping. The percentage of moving cells in the peripheral blood was higher than in the bone marrow. A positive correlation was found between the percentage of moving cells in the peripheral blood and the peripheral leukaemic cell count. In acute myeloid leukaemia, the percentage of moving cells in the bone marrow and the degree of organomegaly were higher in the monoblastic groups than in the myeloblastic groups. No correlation was found between directly observed motility, handmirror cells and capping. Leukaemic cell motility can play a role in the egress of leukaemic cells from the bone marrow, resulting in a higher tumour mass, thereby influencing prognosis.