Result of adolescent acute lymphoblastic leukemia protocol (MCP 841) from a developing country

Abstract

10046 Background: Acute Lymphatic Leukemia is a curable disease in the range of 80 - 90% in developed countries by aggressive protocol like BFM, St. Judes’ but result is much less in adolescence age group (60–70%). In developing countries like ours, patients can't tolerate that aggressive protocol because of socio-economic and nutritional factors. The less aggressive protocol like MCP841 is suitable in developing countries like ours. The aim of our study was to see outcome of adolescent ALL patient with protocol MCP 841 and tolerability of the protocol in Indian-Asian population. Methods: We treated 75 children with age range 13 - 18 years (median age of 15 yrs) with MCP 841 Protocol at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Cancer Research Institute, Kolkata, India, a tertiary cancer center from Eastern India during the period of April 1999 to Dec 2007. There was female preponderance in the study. Fever 48 (64.0%), lymphadenopathy 35 (46.7%), and haepatosplenomegaly 28 (37.3%) were the major clinical presentation. Eight (10.7%) patients were present with hyper leukocytosis. T-ALL phenotype was the largest group though the incidence of the C-ALL was quite high 23 (30.7%). Results: Remission induction was seen in 65 (86.7%) of the patients. In a follow-up period of 24 - 88 months (with an average of 54 months) the disease-free survival ( DFS) was 42 (56%) patients with an overall survival of 46 (61.34%) patients. The isolated bone marrow relapse was seen in majority of the cases 28 (37.34%) and the major relapse was in maintenance and first 6 months of completion of therapy. The major cause of morbidity was infection 53 (70.7%) followed metabolic complications 16 (21.34%), pancreatitis 3 (4.0%), hemorrhage 10 (13.3%), neurologic 2 (2.7%), and hepatitis 1 (1.3%). The major cause of the mortality was infection 18% (24.0% patients) followed progressive disease 9 (12.0%) and hemorrhage 2 (2.7%). As compared to our all pediatric ALL group the outcome is much less and complications are much more. Conclusions: The data of acute lymphatic leukemia in adolescent is not satisfactory as compared to other pediatric patients. They also tolerate chemotheraphy badly. Therefore there is need for modified protocol for this age group. No significant financial relationships to disclose.