Pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia: A single-center experience

Area of Science:

• Hematology
• Pediatric Oncology
• Leukemia Research

Background:

• Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) in pediatric patients is rare, with limited data available globally, particularly from Southeast Asia.
• Understanding the epidemiological and clinical landscape of pediatric CML is crucial for effective management and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present comprehensive statistics on pediatric chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) patients in India.
• To analyze epidemiological characteristics, clinical presentations, and treatment outcomes, including response to imatinib and survival rates.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of pediatric CML cases diagnosed between January 1998 and December 2014.
• Data collected included patient demographics, clinical features, hematological parameters, cytogenetic responses, molecular responses (major molecular response - MMR), and imatinib-related side effects.

Main Results:

• The study identified 65 pediatric CML patients, with a median age of 11.84 years and a male predominance (76.9%).
• Common presentations included splenomegaly (100%) and hepatomegaly (86.5%). Imatinib treatment showed significant hematological and cytogenetic responses, with 62.96% achieving MMR at 36 months.
• Gastrointestinal upset and myelosuppression were the most frequent imatinib side effects.

Conclusions:

• Pediatric CML in India shares similarities with Western populations in terms of epidemiology, clinical presentation, and imatinib tolerability.
• This study contributes valuable data to the limited literature on pediatric CML in the Southeast Asian region.