Outcomes after induction failure in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Failure of remission-induction therapy is a rare but highly adverse event in children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Methods

We identified induction failure, defined by the persistence of leukemic blasts in blood, bone marrow, or any extramedullary site after 4 to 6 weeks of remission-induction therapy, in 1041 of 44,017 patients (2.4%) 0 to 18 years of age with newly diagnosed ALL who were treated by a total of 14 cooperative study groups between 1985 and 2000. We analyzed the relationships among disease characteristics, treatments administered, and outcomes in these patients.

Results

Patients with induction failure frequently presented with high-risk features, including older age, high leukocyte count, leukemia with a T-cell phen

SUBMITTER: Schrappe M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3374496 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature