The expression of protein kinase C (PKC) was analysed in newly diagnosed cases of non-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia (NB-ALL) in children. Blast cells obtained from 104 children with untreated NB-ALL were analysed using the streptavidin-biotin-peroxidase method and the antibody MC5. Of the 104 patients with NB-ALL, 48 (=46%) showed positive staining for PKC. The relapse rate was significantly higher in NB-ALL with expression of PKC than in leukemia without expression of PKC (p=0.008). The relapse-free intervals in the PKC-negative leukemias were significantly longer than in cases of PKC-positive leukemias (p=0.004). The overall survival times were also longer in NB-ALL without expression of PKC than in ALL with PKC-expression (p=0.03). The results of univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrate that in addition to the clinical prognostic indicators PKC expression is a significant prognostic factor for relapse rate, relapse-free intervals, and overall survival times in NB-ALL of children.

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