Leukaemia in children with Down's syndrome

Between 1971 and 1981 756 children were diagnosed to have leukaemia in Hungary. Of these, 17 had Down's syndrome. Analyzing the clinical course of their leukaemia revealed a low remission rate and very poor survival in these patients. Down's syndrome seems to present a special high-risk feature, for early death or relapse into leukaemia, which is only partially explained by the accompanying abnormalities.