Abstract
Purpose: To summarize the clinical characteristics and outcome of adolescent patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated with Chinese Children's Leukemia Group (CCLG)-2008 protocol over a 5-year period from 2008 to 2013.
Methods: Clinical features, immunophenotypes, cytogenetic abnormalities and prognosis of adolescent patients were compared with younger patients.
Results: During 2008-2012, 723 patients with ALL were enrolled in our study. 14.11% of them were 10- to 18-year old patients. Compared to younger ones, adolescent patients demonstrated a higher incidence of T-cell lineage phenotype (14.71% vs 5.8%), t (9;22) (8.82% vs . 4.99%), t (1;19) (8.82% vs. 5.15%), and significantly lower frequency of t (12;21) (21.74% vs. 8.82%). In intermediate-risk group, the 5-year overall survival rate (OS) and event-free survival rate (EFS) of adolescent patients was compatible with pediatric patients, (92.88% vs. 90.86%) and (77.09% vs. 82.9%), respectively. However, the EFS of adolescent patients with high-risk ALL was worse than pediatric patients (42.78% vs . 54.12%).
Conclusion: Despite of the increased incidence of adverse prognostic factors, the survival rate of adolescent patients has been improved when treated with pediatric ALL protocol. However, the poor prognosis of adolescent patients in the high-risk group remains the current challenge.
No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Author notes
Asterisk with author names denotes non-ASH members.
