The peripartum period is an important transmission time for human T-cell lymphotropic virus-1 (HTLV-1) infection, mainly via breastfeeding and partly through the placental tissues of carrier mothers. Although most HTLV-1–infected individuals are asymptomatic, fetal and childhood infections often result in several diseases with disappointing treatment outcomes. An estimated HTLV-1 burden in Nigeria among perinatal women must be determined to enable rational planning of a comprehensive health care intervention. |
The event-free survival (EFS) for pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has shown remarkable improvement in the past several decades. In Korea also, a recent study showed 10-year EFS of 78.5%. Much of the improved outcome for pediatric ALL stems from the accurate identification of prognostic factors, the designation of risk group based on these factors, and treatment of appropriate duration... |
Treatment outcomes of pediatric cancers have improved greatly with the development of improved treatment protocols, new drugs, and better supportive measures, resulting in overall survival rates greater than 70%. Survival rates are highest in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, reaching more than 90%, owing to risk-based treatment through multicenter clinical trials and protocols developed to prevent central nervous system relapse and testicular... |
Despite the established role of imatinib (IM) in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) in adults, there are few reports on its efficacy in children. In this study, we compared the outcomes of children with CML before and after the advent of IM-based treatment. The study cohort consisted of 52 patients treated for CML at the Department of Pediatrics, The Catholic University of... |
In children with acute leukemia, bone marrow genetic abnormalities (GA) have prognostic significance, and may be the basis for minimal residual disease monitoring. Since April 2007, we have used a multiplex reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction tool (HemaVision) to detect of GA. In this study, we reviewed the results of HemaVision screening in 270 children with acute leukemia, newly diagnosed at The... |
Anthracyclines have been utilized in the treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Recent studies have shown that anthracyclines may induce toxicity in the vascular endothelium. This study was performed using brachial artery reactivity (BAR) to evaluate vascular endothelial function in ALL patients who were treated with anthracycline chemotherapy. We included 21 children with ALL who received anthracycline chemotherapy and... |
We report a case of a 13-year-old girl with acute lymphoblastic lymphoma-leukemia, who presented with a cardiac metastasis in the right ventricle, resulting in a pulmonary embolism. At the time of her leukemia diagnosis, a cardiac mass was incidentally found. The differential diagnosis for this unusual cardiac mass included cardiac tumor, metastasis, vegetation, and thrombus. Empirical treatment was initiated, including... |
Improved survival of patients with childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has drawn attention to the potential for late consequences of previous treatments among survivors, including metabolic syndrome. In this study, we evaluated changes in 3 parameters, namely, random blood glucose, body mass index (BMI), and Z score for BMI (Z-BMI), in children with ALL during chemotherapy and after completion of... |
The survival rate for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) has improved significantly. However, overall prognosis for the 20 to 25% of patients who relapse is poor, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) offers the best chance for cure. In this study, we identified significant prognostic variables by analyzing the outcomes of allogeneic HSCT in ALL patients in second complete... |
Childhood chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) is a rare hematologic disease, with limited literature on the methods of treatment. Previously, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) was considered the only curative treatment for this disease. Treatment with imatinib, a selective inhibitor of the BCR-ABL tyrosine kinase (TKI), has resulted in prolonged molecular response with limited drug toxicity. Imatinib is now implemented... |
In pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the Philadelphia chromosome translocation is uncommon, with a frequency of less than 5%. However, it is classified as a high or very high risk, and only 20-30% of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) children with ALL are cured with chemotherapy alone. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from a closely matched donor cures 60% of... |
Since the successful introduction of all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and its combination with anthracycline-containing chemotherapy, the prognosis for acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) has markedly improved. With ATRA and anthracycline-based-chemotherapy, the complete remission rate is greater than 90%, and the long-term survival rate is 70-89%. Moreover, arsenic trioxide (ATO), which was introduced for APL treatment in 1994, resulted in excellent remission rates... |
Our study attempted to determine the prognostic significance of minimal residual disease (MRD) detected by a simplified flow cytometric assay during induction chemotherapy in children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). A total of 98 patients were newly diagnosed with precursor B-ALL from June 2004 to December 2008 at the Asan Medical Center (Seoul, Korea). Of those, 37 were eligible for... |
Purpose : This study aims to compare the outcome of total body irradiation (TBI)- or non-TBI-containing conditioning regimens for leukemia in children. Methods : We retrospectively evaluated 77 children conditioned with TBI (n=40) or non-TBI (n=37) regimens, transplanted at Chonnam National University Hospital between January 1996 and December 2007. The type of transplantation, disease status at the time of transplant, conditioning regimen,... |
Hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) is the most common cause of acute renal failure in children younger than 4 years and is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, acute renal failure, and thrombocytopenia. HUS associated with diarrheal prodrome is usually caused by Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O157:H7 or by Shigella dysenteriae, which generally has a better outcome. However, atypical cases show a... |
Facial palsy as the presenting symptom of leukemia is very rare, especially in acute myeloid leukemia. A review of the medical literature identified reports on 8 children with AML who had facial paralysis as the presenting sign. Whole brain irradiation (WBI) has been applied in most cases. We present the cases of 3 such children. Achieving a remission without WBI,... |
Purpose : We screened more than 350 compounds with an endoperoxide ring structure in search of an anti-leukemic drug and found that compound 127 (c-127) could induce significant cytotoxicity in HL-60 cells. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of compound 127-induced antitumor activity on HL-60 cells. Methods : HL-60 cells were cultured in Rosewell Park Memorial Institute 1640... |
Purpose : p16 gene, mapped to the 9p21 chromosomal region, has emerged as a candidate tumor suppressor gene in human neoplasm. It is an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase and inhibits Rb phosphorylation. In a variety of tumors including childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), deletion and/or mutation of the p16 gene has been found. Despite their high frequency, the prognostic importance... |
Purpose : In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) grafted from HLA-matched parents. Methods : Seven children with acute leukemia (4 acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 3 acute myeloid leukemia) in first complete remission received allogeneic HSCT from their respective parents at the St. Marys Hospital between April, 1999 and October,... |
Purpose : Due to its high potency against leukemic blasts, our institution has opted for the use of dexamethasone during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) remission induction, but in our most recent treatment protocol, CMCPL-2005, we shortened the length of steroid treatment from 4 to 3 weeks. We compared both the rates of remission induction and significant complications observed during induction... |
Purpose : Ghrelin, being secreted from the stomach, stimulates growth hormone secretion and controls energy homeostasis by increasing appetite. Leptin, being secreted from the adipocytes, controls weight and energy homeostasis by decreasing appetite. Leptin concentration is reported to increase after childhood cancer therapy. This study was aimed to compare ghrelin and leptin concentrations in normal children and children who received... |
The cure rate of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children dramatically improved over past 5 decades from zero to about 80%. The main cause of improvement is owing to the development of chemotherapy by multicenter clinical trial of large study groups with the understanding of leukemia biology. Recently, pediatric ALL protocols were applied to the treatment of adolescent and even... |
Purpose : The hematologic change during the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) is critical as a prognostic determinant and a variable to determine the dose of chemotherapeutic agents. It is known that the dose of vincristine used in the maintenance phase of ALL is small enough to increase the count of platelet. To investigate the change of platelet count according... |
Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcome of children with juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia(JMML) treated with allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(allo- HSCT). Methods : Eleven JMML patients aged 8-39 months underwent allo-HSCT. The sources of grafts were unrelated donors(n=7), HLA-matched siblings(n=3) and an HLA 1-antigen mismatched familial donor. All patients had received chemotherapy ?13-cis-retinoic acid(CRA) before... |
Purpose : In order to assess the usefulness of serum ferritin as a marker of disease activity and prognostic factor in pediatric malignancy, serum ferritin levels were measured. Methods : Peripheral blood samplings for ferritin level were made at presentation, in remission following therapy, and in relapse in 95 children with malignancy admitted to the Department of Pediatrics, Kosin University Gospel... |
Purpose : Through routine screening for chromosomal defects present in patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia(ALL) by means of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR), we aimed for earlier detection of recurrences, hence evaluating the progress of the disease after treatment, and forecasting the need for further testing. Methods : We analyzed 30 patients who visited the Pediatrics Department of Severance Hospital, from... |
Purpose : In 1970, the Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster(BFM) group introduced an intensification therapy after remission induction to reduce relapse of acute lymphoblastic leukemia(ALL) in childhood. Delayed intensification(DI) phase has been included for treatment of ALL in our hospital since the mid-1990s. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the outcome with vs. without DI phase and the outcome with two vs.... |
Purpose : For the control of childhood leukemia, of which the mortality is still high, the basic data for the incidence has a great importance. The authors analyzed the data from 133 new patients with childhood leukemia between 1996-2000 in Busan, Korea. Methods : The data were obtained from 133 new cases(87 males and 46 females from 0 to 15 years... |
Bone marrow necrosis is a rare complication of a variety of diseases affecting the marrow. The cause and incidence are unknown, and reports of treatment response are rare. We describe a case of relapsed acute mixed type leukemia with bone marrow necrosis. The patient was a 10 year old female diagnosed with acute mixed type leukemia four years ago. She... |
Wernicke,s encephalopathy(WE), a neurological disorder caused by thiamine deficiency, is characterized by the triad of ocular symptoms, ataxia, and mental confusion. More than 90% of the cases are observed in chronic alcoholics. Other conditions less frequently associated with WE are anorexia nervosa, prolonged parenteral nutrition, hemodialysis, uremia, hyperemesis gravidarum, gastroplasty for morbid obesity, and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome(AIDS). One of the... |