Cortactin: A novel prognostic marker in chronic myeloid leukemia

Background Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a clonal myeloproliferative disease characterized by leukocytosis and an accumulation of granulocytes and their precursors. Cortactin is an actin-binding protein substrate of Src kinase. High cortactin expression in many hematological malignancies has been correlated with adverse prognostic factors.Aim The aim of our study was to measure cortactin levels in patients with CML at diagnosis and correlate such levels with other prognostic factors.Patients and methods This is a case-control study that was executed at hematology unit, Ain-Shams University Hospital during the period between January 2021 and October 2021. The study included 25 newly diagnosed patients with chronic phase CML and 25 healthy controls. Accelerated phase and blast crisis were excluded from the study.Results Cortactin level at diagnosis was higher in the patients group compared with the control group (71.04 +/- 20.04 vs. 36.8 +/- 11.6%, P<0.001). Cortactin level was significantly higher in patients who did not achieve complete hematological remission (CHR) at 3 months in comparison with those who achieved CHR (88.49 +/- 8.02 vs. 61.23 +/- 17.98, P<0.001). Patients who failed to attain CHR at 3 months had a significantly worse prognostic score at diagnosis using Sokal, Hasford, and ELTS scores (P=0.016, 0.035, and 0.009, respectively), but this did not apply to EUTOS score (P=0.089).Conclusion Higher cortactin levels are associated with delayed CHR in newly diagnosed patients with chronic phase CML, and it can be used as a prognostic marker for patients with CML at diagnosis.