A significant trend to an overrepresentation of unfavourable FAB types in CD105 hi AMLs was observed (3 vs. 10 patients; p = 0.04), while increased WBC was significantly associated with the CD105 hi cohort (mean WBC 78.4 vs. 142 G/L; p = 0.009).
Interestingly, levels of CD105 expression correlated with NCCN risk: while the comparison of the favourable with the intermediate risk group revealed a strong tendency that did not reach statistical significance (SFI mean 8.28 vs. 14.2; p = 0.08), CD105 expression was significantly higher in the poor risk compared to the favourable NCCN risk group (SFI mean 24.18 vs. 8.28; p = 0.004) (Fig. 2G ).
This difference almost held true in analyses of progression free survival (PFS) after response to anthracycline based induction therapy, but failed to reach statistical significance (HR 0.34; 95% CI 0.08–1.6, p = 0.15) (Fig. 3E ).
Of note, while failing to achieve statistical significance (p = 0.06), a clear trend towards an inverse association of CD105 expression levels and achievement of CR after first anthracycline-based induction therapy was observed between the quartiles.