Acute Myeloid Leukemia Stem Cells

A gene-expression score associated with leukemia stem cells was correlated with clinical remission and overall survival in patients with newly diagnosed AML.

Tumor stem cells have been proposed as a source of treatment resistance and relapse in many cancer types, including myelodysplastic syndrome (JW Oncol Hematol Sep 8 2010). Now, investigators have characterized subpopulations of leukemia stem cells (LSCs), leukemia progenitor cells (LPCs), and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) blast cells in seven patients with newly diagnosed AML. These subsets are identified phenotypically in the table.

Global gene-expression profiles of these subpopulations of cells were obtained from individual patients. A 31-gene LSC signature was characterized and used to generate an LSC score. That score was then correlated retrospectively with patient outcomes in clinical trials of adults with nonpromyelocytic AML.

The rate…

Reviewing Author

Michael E. Williams, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee

Michael E. Williams, MD

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardAbbVie; AstraZeneca; Beigene; Janssen; Pharmacyclics

Grant/Research SupportJanssen

Editorial BoardsAmerican Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Hematology Longitudinal Knowledge Approval Committee