Abstract
The two major varieties of leukaemia in childhood are acute lymphocytic and acute myeloblastic leukaemia. Subclassification of acute lymphocytic leukaemia has defined groups with a good or poor prognosis and different treatment strategies are employed. Overall, about one-third of cases may be cured and results in good prognosis disease are even better. The different varieties of acute myeloid leukaemia all respond less well to treatment, with the major problem being one of maintenance of disease remission. Current treatment of both forms of leukaemia are outlined. Although advances in the management of childhood leukaemia, in particular the lymphocytic variety, have been truly remarkable over the past thirty years, further progress is necessary. Greater refinement of chemotherapy or the use of bone marrow transplantation are the likely avenues for future improvement in prognosis.
Highlights
T h e h isto ry o f leu k aem ia is a fairly sh o rt one
In 1870 N eum ann recognized that leukaem ia was a disease of the bone marrow
N o treatm ent was available until Farber and colleagues (1948) at the B oston C h ild re n ’s H o sp ita l, achieved th e first com plete remission of acute leukaem ia with the drug aminopterin
Summary
Th e tw o m ajor varieties o f leukaem ia in childhood are acute lym phocytic and acute m yeloblastic leukaem ia. N o treatm ent was available until Farber and colleagues (1948) at the B oston C h ild re n ’s H o sp ita l, achieved th e first com plete remission of acute leukaem ia with the drug aminopterin This was the start of a chem otherapeutic attack on c an c er o f a II types w hich has been n o ta b ly success ful in children. The viruses causing leukaem ia, except for those of the cat and some fowl leukaem ias, are not infectious in the ordinary sense of being able to spread to other anim als It does not seem th at a leukaem ia virus can be passed to o th er species:' it is virtually certain th at hum ans donot get leukaem ia from infected cats (H anes et al, 1970). Prior to 1948 the survival of a newly diagnosed patient with acute leukaem ia was seldom longer than 4 m onths
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