T-Lymphocyte Subgroups at Diagnosis Demonstrate Prognostic Value for Patients With Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Recent retrospective study results presented at the 2023 Society of Hematologic Oncology (SOHO) Annual Meeting demonstrated that low T-lymphocyte percentages and low T-lymphocyte/malignant B-cell (MBC) ratios at diagnosis are associated with poor prognosis, progressive disease, and decreased survival among patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). 

For this study, conducted by Deniz Seyithanoglu, MD, Department of Internal Medicine, Istanbul University Faculty of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey, and colleagues, eligible patients included 83 patients with previously untreated CLL whose data was recorded between September 1998 and September 2019. Patients with secondary malignancies at diagnosis were excluded from the trial. 

The primary end points of the study were progression status and survival times, according to T-lymphocyte parameters at diagnosis. The results demonstrated that there was no difference in T-lymphocyte parameters according to age, gender, or disease stages. 

It was noted that the CD4 (P =.048) and CD7 (P =.020) T-lymphocyte percentages, CD4/MBC (P =.021), CD8/MBC (P =.035), and CD7/MBC (P =.012) values were significantly lower among patients with progressive disease. The CD3 (P =.001), CD4 (P =.001), CD8 (P =.005), and CD7 (P =.007) percentages measured significantly lower in deceased patients. A single unit of increase in the CD7/MBC ratio decreased the risk of progression by 93.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.005– 0.881, P =.040), study authors noted, as well as that a single unit of increase in the CD8/MBC ratio decreased the mortality risk by 99.99% (95% CI, 0.001–0.001, P =.002).

Dr Seyithanoglu and colleagues concluded that, “Our study has shown that low T-lymphocyte percentages and low T-lymphocyte/MBC ratios at diagnosis are associated with poor prognosis, progressive disease, and decreased survival." 

“The role of T-lymphocytes in CLL prognosis could be revealed in more detail with prospective studies evaluating naïve T-lymphocyte and differentiated T-lymphocyte subgroups, as well as functional T-lymphocyte markers such as HLA-DR and PD-1,” they added. 

Source:

Seyithanoglu D, Nazligul E, Ozbalak M, et al. The effect of T‑lymphocyte subgroups at diagnosis on the prognosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Presented at the 2023 SOHO Annual Meeting; September 6-9; Houston, TX. Abstract CLL-079