Clinical Observations on Childhood Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia

Shin, S H; Kwon, Y K; Kang, C M

Abstract

A clinical study was made on 47 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemias which ad been treated at pediatric department of Keimyung University Hospital during the period of four and a half years from January 1976 through June 1980. 47 cases of acute lymphocytic leukemia occupied 73.4% of all acute childhood leukemia. Acute lymphocytic leukemia tends to have relatively increasing incidence in the recent years. Of 47 total cases, 27 cases(57.4%) responded the therapy and only 14(51.9%) of the treated cases gave the chance to have continuous therapy and observations. 2 cases(7.4%) achieved complete remission after 2 1/2~3years therapy, 3 cases on therapy (phase III) in remission state and 9 cases were dead, Of 9 expired cases, 5 died during the early stage of phase I and them ortality rate was 28.6%. Remission induction reate was 91.7% and the relapse rate during phase III was 56.2%. Infections were most frequent complications which were developed in 15 cases. Others were 2 cases of bleeding and 1 case of meningeal leukemia. Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia which was prevalent in other country was not observed. It is observed that the patients showed high relapse rate during phase III although good remission rate after phase I which suggests that some intensification therapy in phase III is necessary in this country. This study also indicated an enlightenment of acute childhood lymphocytic leukemia is a curable disease.