ACUTE LYMPHOCYTIC LEUKEMIA ALL - CHILD

Acute lymphocytic (also called lymphoblastic) leukemia, or ALL, is the commonest cancer diagnosis for children in the US, representing approximately 23 percent of the total number of pediatric cancer diagnoses annually. There has been a slow but steady increase in the number of children diagnosed with ALL over the past 25 years in the US. Annually, approximately 2,400 children receive a diagnosis of ALL in the US. The peak age for developing the disease is between the ages of 2 and 3 years. It also occurs in adolescents, but in lesser numbers. There is a strong association between Down syndrome and ALL.

The most prominent characteristic of childhood ALL is the malignant proliferation of immature lymphoid cells (or “blasts”) in the bone marrow. As a result of this proliferation, the blood and bone marrow become flooded with vast numbers of leukemic blast cells that ultimately crowd out the bulk of the normal cells. The presence of all these immature cells interferes with the normal functioning of the bone marrow and the blood. This leads to symptoms such as bruising, bleeding, and susceptibility to infections. Children with acute leukemias can quickly become desperately ill. However, with current treatment approaches 95 percent of children with ALL can expect to achieve remission, and approximately 75-85 percent survive free of disease for at least 5 years.