Prognostic Significance of CD7 Expression in Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32007/jfacmedbaghdad3304Keywords:
Acute myeloid Leukemia, CD7 expression, Monocytic, Non-Monocytic, Response to induction remission.Abstract
Background: Expression of the T-cell lymphoid marker CD7 in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is considered a poor prognostic factor. In 88% of AML cases, aberrant expression of phenotypic markers has been reported.
Objectives: To determine the frequency of aberrantly expressed CD7 in adult patients with AML and its effect on their response to induction therapy in AML subtypes.
Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study included 50 adult patients diagnosed with de novo AML at Baghdad Teaching Hospital, Medical City Complex, from January to December 2019. Based on the French-American-British (FAB) criteria, the patients were divided into two groups: monocytic and non-monocytic. Flow cytometry was used to demonstrate CD7 expression in blasts in whole blood or bone marrow aspirate samples. Response to induction therapy was determined after 4–5 weeks. The chi-square test was used to explore associations between discrete variables.
Results: CD7 was expressed in 36% of AML patients, and 88.9% of these patients had incomplete remission. Thirty patients (60%) had non-monocytic AML subtypes, and 20 patients (40%) had M4 or M5 subtypes. A significant positive association between CD7 expression and poor response to remission induction was found. There was no statistically significant difference between CD7 expression and either monocytic or non-monocytic AML subtypes. Only 20 patients (40%) achieved complete remission (CR) after induction therapy. The other 30 patients (60%) had incomplete remission (IR).
Conclusions: CD7 is expressed in a substantial portion of AML patients. High levels of this lymphoid marker correlate with incomplete remission following induction therapy, which portending poor prognosis.
Received: 27 Feb. 2026
Revised: 06 Sept. 2026
Accepted: 21 Sept. 2026,
Published Online: Sept. 2026
Published: 1st Oct. 2026
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Copyright (c) 2026 Sarab M. Hesham, Haithem A. ALRubaie
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