Biological Prognostic Markers in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia
Vladimíra Vroblová,
Lukáš Smolej,
Filip Vrbacký,
Karolína Jankovičová,
Monika Hrudková,
Jaroslav Malý,
Jan Krejsek
Affiliations
Vladimíra Vroblová
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Lukáš Smolej
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical Hematology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Filip Vrbacký
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical Hematology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Karolína Jankovičová
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Monika Hrudková
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical Hematology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Jaroslav Malý
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, 2nd Department of Internal Medicine, Department of Clinical Hematology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Jan Krejsek
Charles University in Prague, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Hradec Králové, Institute of Clinical Immunology and Allergology, Hradec Králové, Czech Republic
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most frequent leukemic disease of adults in the Western world. It is remarkable by an extraordinary heterogeneity of clinical course with overall survival ranging from several months to more than 15 years. Classical staging sytems by Rai and Binet, while readily available and useful for initial assessment of prognosis, are not able to determine individual patient’s ongoing clinical course of CLL at the time of diagnosis, especially in early stages. Therefore, newer biological prognostic parameters are currently being clinically evaluated. Mutational status of variable region of immunoglobulin heavy chain genes (IgVH), cytogenetic aberrations, and both intracellular ZAP- 70 and surface CD38 expression are recognized as parameters with established prognostic value. Molecules regulating the process of angiogenesis are also considered as promising markers. The purpose of this review is to summarize in detail the specific role of these prognostic factors in chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
