microRNA expression levels as predictors of outcome in pediateric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients

Expression levels of specific microRNAs were significantly associated with adverse clinical parameters of pediatric ALL patients and might serve as novel biomarkers for outcome, at diagnosis, in these patients. microRNA-array analysis was performed on BM samples, at diagnosis, of 48 pediatric ALL patients. The expression levels were correlated to established clinical prognostic markers such as age, cell of origin (T-cell or B-cell), white blood count, prednisone response and relapse.