Low platelet counts after induction therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia are strongly associated with poor early response to treatment as measured by minimal residual disease and are prognostic for treatment outcome.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Numerous reports have been published on the association between kinetics of leukemic cells during early treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia and therapeutic outcome. In contrast, little is known about the prognostic relevance of normal blood counts in this setting.

Design and methods

Normal hematopoiesis during and after induction treatment (days 8, 15 and 33) was correlated with therapeutic outcome in a cohort of 256 children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated in one of three consecutive ALL-BFM trials at a single institute. Replication analysis of positive findings was performed in an independent cohort of 475 patients from the ALL-BFM 2000 multicenter trial.

Results

A platelet count in the first quartile on treatment day 33 and a ne

SUBMITTER: Zeidler L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3291595 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature