RESPONSE RATE OF PAKISTANI CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA TO MEDICAL RESEARCH COUNCIL ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKAEMIA 97 CHEMOTHERAPY PROTOCOL
Abstract
Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), a malignancy of lymphoid lineage cells, hasexcellent prognosis in children. In Pakistan, a few studies highlighted the response of ALL tochemotherapy. The Present study was planned to see the response rate of Pakistani children with ALLto Medical Research Council ALL 97 (MRCALL97) chemotherapy protocol. This descriptive caseseries was conducted at the Department of Haematology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology and theDepartment of Paediatric Oncology, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi from 16th of February2007 to 16th of August 2007. Methods: Diagnosed children with ALL fulfilling the inclusion criteriawere interviewed regarding history of the present, past illnesses, and family history. Physicalexamination was performed. Presenting clinical features, blood counts and blood and bone marrowblasts percentage were used to see the response on day 29 post chemotherapy. The data was recordedon a structured proforma for statistical analysis. Results: A total of 33 patients were studied including26 males and 7 females. Twenty-five patients belonged to age group 2–9 years, and 8 to <2 or >9 years,median age being 4.5 years. Presenting WBC count was <50×109/L in 30 patients and >50×109/L in 3patients. At the end of induction, complete remission was achieved in 31 out of 33 (94%) patients whiletwo patients did not achieve remission. Conclusion: Response rate of Pakistani children with ALL tochemotherapy was superior to the previously reported figures from Pakistan.Keywords: Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, ALL, remission, chemotherapyReferences
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