Infant lymphoblastic leukemia: a single centers 10 year experience

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Hematology
• Oncology
• Immunology

Background:

• Infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a rare and aggressive form of childhood cancer.
• Infants with ALL face a poorer prognosis compared to older children despite advancements in treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To retrospectively evaluate the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of infants diagnosed with ALL.
• To assess the effectiveness of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in this patient group.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 13 infant ALL patients treated at Hacettepe University between 2008 and 2018.
• Evaluation of clinical features, treatment protocols (chemotherapy and HSCT), and patient outcomes, including relapse and survival rates.

Main Results:

• The median age of patients was 7 months, with a notable occurrence of triplets (3/13).
• Relapse occurred in 4 patients; 5 underwent HSCT, with 3 experiencing relapse post-transplant.
• Overall survival in remission was 45% (6/13) after a median follow-up of 18 months.

Conclusions:

• Infant ALL carries a poor prognosis, with approximately half of the patients surviving.
• Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) appears to be an effective treatment option for select infant ALL patients.
• Further research is essential to refine eligibility criteria for HSCT in this vulnerable population.