A STUDY OF DEMOGRAPHY AND INDUCTION OUTCOME OF PEDIATRIC ACUTE
LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA IN A NEWLY-ESTABLISHED, RESOURCE-LIMITED SETTING
IN INDIA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) has survival rates of
greater than 90% in developed nations. However various sociodemographic
factors adversely affect outcome rates in low and middle income
countries(LMIC). OBJECTIVE: To study induction outcome of ALL and
various factors affecting it. METHODS: This was a prospective cohort
study which enrolled 73 children up to age of 18 years with newly
diagnosed ALL registered in our newly-established pediatric oncology
division over duration of 2.5 years. Sociodemographic and clinical data
was collected. Outcome was assessed using morphological remission,
minimal residual disease(MRD) and mortality rate. RESULTS: Of the142
children with malignancies registered, 73 were ALL. Mean age was
7.09±4.07 years, male to female ratio 1.15:1. 15(44.12%) had severe
acute malnutrition (SAM) and 14(41.17%) had moderate acute malnutrition
(MAM). 27(69.23%) children were undernourished. 62(84.93%) were B-ALL,
11(15.07%) T-ALL. 28.77% had WBC counts greater than 50X109/L.
t(12;21) was the most common cytogenetic abnormality. 65.76% of the
patients belonged to lower socioeconomic status. There were 10 dropouts.
59(93.65%) patients completed induction of which 100% attained
morphological remission and 54(91.53%) were MRD negative. There were 4
mortalities, 2(50%) due to sepsis and 2(50%) due to hemophagocytic
lymphohistiocytosis(HLH). 41(65.08%) children had morbidities during
induction, febrile neutropenia being the commonest. CONCLUSIONS:
Successful induction outcome rates at par with high income
countries(HIC) can be achieved even in resource-limited settings of LMIC
with support from government schemes and NGOs. Decentralized cancer care
centres can effectively pave the way in reducing cancer mortality in
children of lower socioeconomic status residing in rural areas.