Acute promyelocytic leukaemia in children

Acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), designated M3, is a particularly interesting subtype of acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) that has unique molecular and clinical characteristics. It is characterized by an arrest of myeloid differentiation at the promyelocyte stage with abnormal proliferation of these cells. Recent paediatric and adult trials which included all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) have shown that APL has significantly better survival rates than other subtypes of AML. While there is extensive literature on APL in adults, articles dedicated to describing solely paediatric patients are limited. This chapter focuses on the incidence, diagnosis, clinical characteristics, treatment, and survival rates of children with APL.