Incidence, Clinical and Laboratory Features, and Prognostic Significance of Immunophenotypic Subgroups in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: The GEIL Experience

Abstract

Extensive immunophenotyping of hematologic proliferations has been made possible by the availability of monoclonal antibodies to surface or intracellular molecules. The four workshops dedicated to leukocyte typing have moreover helped classifying the molecules identified and reagents used in developing an internationally adopted nomenclature for clusters of differentiation (CD) (Bernard et al. 1984). The extensive immunophenotypic variety of acute lymphoblastic leukemias (ALL) has thus become apparent (Foon and Todd 1986), and questions have been raised as to the clinical and prognostic significance of these new biological parameters. In France, a group of hematologists, immunologists, and clinicians has been interested in the definition of leukemias since November 1983. Their major concern is to obtain maximal immunophenotypic information on as many proliferations as possible. What cannot be achieved by a single institution becomes possible if several teams gather their data. Thirty-two teams have now joined this informal federation, exchanged information, developed homogeneous methods for extensive immunophenotyping, and collected data from more than 2000 patients, validated by internal workshops. The multicentric strategy appears to have worked since significant numbers of rare phenotypes and follow-up data on large numbers of more classical proliferations have been collected (Vannier et al. 1989; Béné et al. 1987, 1990).

GEIL is composed of Drs.: J. Gardais (Angers), M.C. Leglise, G. Lecalvez (Brest), M. Bernier, M. Massy (Brussels), A.M. Griveau, P. Boutard, C. Lebrun (Caen), J. Bonhomme, B. Chassagne, F. Demeocq, C. Rapatel (Clermont- Ferrand), H. Jouault (Créteil Mondor), F. Lelong (Créteil Intercommunal), E. Solary, O. Cassasnovas, M. Maynadié (Dijon), J.C. Bensa, M. Favre, M.C. Jacob (Grenoble), C. Sartiaux (Lille), M. Drouet (Limoges), L. Campos, A. Larese (Lyon), P. Poncelet, C. Brunet (Marseille), T. Lavabre-Bertrand, J. Taib (Montpellier), G. Kandel, G. Jung (Mulhouse), R. Garand (Nantes), P. Philip, F. Monpoux, I. Sudaka, F. Baudouin, C. Caldani, A. Bernard (Nice), M. Reguer, H. Schill (Paris Val de Grâce), G. Schaison, L. Boumsell (Paris Saint Louis), D. Vanhaecke, L. Douay (Paris Trousseau), A. Brizard (Poitiers), J.P. Roualet, T. Tabary (Reims), N. Genetet (Rennes), O. Lees, B. Lenormand, J.P. Vannier (Rouen), J.C. Le Petit, S. Acquari, O. Sabido (Saint-Etienne), A. Falkenrodt (Strasbourg), J.L. Bremond, A.M. Masy (Tours), F. Roubinet, E. Kuhlein (Toulouse), F. Lebaron, P. Duthilleul, B. Reumaux (Valenciennes), M.C. Bene, G. Faure, P. Bordigoni, F. Witz (Vandoeuvre les Nancy), C. Bayle, J. Antonini (Villejuif).