Expression of B Cell Activating Factor BAFF in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Patients

Abstract

A cute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a malignant disorder of lymphoid progenitor cells that proliferate and replace the normal hematopoietic cells of the bone marrow. These lymphoblasts replacing the normal bone marrow elements result in a marked decrease in the production of normal blood cells. There are many prognostic factors in ALL such as age, sex, race, leukemic burden, laboratory criteria (initial TLC, hemoglobin level, platelet count and serum immunoglobulins), immunophenotyping, chromosomal abnormalities, duration to induction of remission, drug resistance profiles, and minimal residual disease. Assessment of these factors is mandatory for therapeutic assignment. Increasing evidence indicates that microenvironmental cues play critical roles in cancer biology and that malignant cells are responsive to multiple extrinsic factors from their microenvironment. These stimuli involve both soluble factors and receptor/ligand interactions, which mediate or influence processes as tumor development, maintenance, drug-resistance and immune evasion.