Abstract
Objective: Chronic myeloid leukemia is a rare hematological malignant disorder among children and adolescents for which data are scare in Africa. The aim of the study is to report clinical, biological feature of children with chronic myeloid leukemia. Additionally, describing cytogenetic response to imatinib and adherence of children to the drug. Patients and Methods: A retrospective study was carried out from January 2007 to December 2016 (10 years) in the department of Hematology at the Teaching Hospital in Brazzaville. Four of 52 patients admitted during the period for chronic myeloid leukemia, were children. We collected data from these children’s medical records for analysis. Results: They were four adolescents (2 boys and 2 girls) with a median age of 13.75 years at the time of diagnosis (range 11.2 and 16 years) that presented at the chronic phase of the the chronic myeloid leukemia. Delay diagnosis was 4 months. All adolescents presented with a voluminous splenomegaly (median size: 16.75 cm) and high white blood cells count: 133.37G/L (range: 60.7 and 219 G/L). The response to imatinib was poor. None patient was adherent to the treatment. Conclusion: Chronic myeloid leukemia in children in the Congo is rare. Abdominal pain and voluminous splenomegaly are the main finding symptoms of the malignancy. Despite the delayed diagnosis of the disease, children present at chronic phase. The response to imatinib is poor as children are not adherent to the treatment.
Highlights
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a positive Philadelphia chromosome clonal myeloproliferative disorder that affects mostly in adulthood
Four of 52 patients admitted during the period for chronic myeloid leukemia, were children
We collected data from these children’s medical records for analysis. They were four adolescents (2 boys and 2 girls) with a median age of 13.75 years at the time of diagnosis that presented at the chronic phase of the the chronic myeloid leukemia
Summary
Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a positive Philadelphia chromosome clonal myeloproliferative disorder that affects mostly in adulthood. It is rare among children and accounts for 2-3 % of all childhood leukemia (1). As in adults, an effective first line treatment in children and adolescents with CML (1) It has showed impressive complete cytogenetic response rates (1). In our knowledge only one study has described the CML pattern in pediatrics population in Sub Saharan Africa (4). We are complementing it by describing the clinical, biological pattern of CML in children as well their response and adherence to imatinib
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