Secular trends and predictors of mortality in acute lymphoblastic leukemia for children of low socioeconomic level in Northeast Brazil

Precursor B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia-a global view

As haematologists, we always seek to follow standardised guidelines for practice and apply the best treatment within our means for our patients with blood diseases. However, treatment can never follow an exact recipe. Opinions differ as to the best approach; sometimes more than one treatment approach results in identical outcomes, or treatments differ only by the manner in which they fail. Furthermore, the haematologist is faced with constraints relating to the local economic environment. Patients too are not the same the world over. Early presentation is commoner in the developed world, as is the patient’s understanding of the disease process. This in turn has an impact on the way patients are managed, the rigorousness of patient adhesion to the treatment schedule and the outcome. Here we take a look at the precursor B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in an adolescent in a range of different settings from low‐ to high income countries with widely differing challenges for diagnosis, therpy and follow‐up. For these reasons, given the same starting conditions, patients will be treated differently according to the institute and the country they are in. Experts from around the world have been tasked to describe their management plan and rationale for a specific disease presentation. Here they explore the management of precursor B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (pre‐B ALL) in five different institutions worldwide with a focus on those with more or less strained economies. We end with a conclusion from an expert in the field comparing and contrasting these different management styles and considering their merits and limitations.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia Survival in Children Covered by Seguro Popular in Mexico: A National Comprehensive Analysis 2005-2017

The aim of the study was to measure survival of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) under Mexico's public health insurance for the population treated under Seguro Popular. A retrospective cohort study using claims data from Mexico's Seguro Popular program, covering cancer treatment from 2005 to 2015 was conducted. Overall 5-year national and state-specific survival for children with ALL across Mexico who initiated cancer treatment under this program was estimated. From 2005 to 2015, 8,977 children with ALL initiated treatment under Seguro Popular. Under this financing scheme, the annual number of treated children doubled from 535 in 2005 to 1,070 in 2015. The estimates for 5-year overall survival of 61.8% (95%CI 60.8, 62.9) remained constant over time. We observed wide gaps in risk-standardized 5-year overall survival among states ranging from 74.7% to 43.7%. We found a higher risk of mortality for children who received treatment in a non-pediatric specialty hospital (Hazards Ratio, HR = 1.18; 95%CI 1.09, 1.26), facilities without a pediatric oncology/hematology specialist (HR = 2.17; 95%CI 1.62, 2.90), and hospitals with low patient volume (HR = 1.22; 95%CI 1.13, 1.32). In a decade Mexico's Seguro Popular doubled access to ALL treatment for covered children and by 2015 financed the vast majority of estimated ALL cases for that population. While some progress in ALL survival may have been achieved, nationwide 5-year overall survival did not improve over time and did not achieve levels found in comparable countries. Our results provide lessons for Mexico's evolving health system and for countries moving toward universal health coverage.

Outcome of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment in a single center in Brazil: A survival analysis study

Background

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common neoplasm in childhood. The probability of current overall survival (OS) is around 90% in developed countries. There are few studies that demonstrate the results in Brazil.

Aim

This work aims to analyze the results of children with ALL treated at a single institution in Rio de Janeiro.

Methods and results

Retrospective analysis survival study of a cohort of childhood ALL patients treated in Hemorio. Kaplan–Meier and log‐rank methods were used for the analysis of OS and events‐free survival (EFS) and the Cox proportional hazards regression model for multivariate analysis.

The probability of OS and EFS at 6 years was 52% and 45%. The probability of OS and EFS in 6 years for patients aged 10‐17 years was 31% and 28% and for the younger was 65% and 55%, respectively (p < .001). A probability of OS and EFS in 6 years for patients with more than 100 000 leukocytes/mm³ at diagnosis was 19% and 16% and those with less than 100 000 were 62% (p = .007) and 55% (p = .008). Those who received less than 10 doses of native Escherichia coli asparaginase had a probability of OS and EFS in 6 years of 27% and 21% and those who received at least 10 doses were 74% and 65% (p < .001).

Conclusions

The presence of a high number of adolescents and high‐risk patients, as well as many patients who discontinued the use of asparaginase or any substitute led to a lower probability of OS and EFS in our cohort.

Frequency of Infectious Mortality at the End of Induction Chemotherapy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia and Lymphoma Patients: Findings From a Tertiary Care Cancer Center

Background and objective

In low- and low-to-middle-income countries (LMICs), the incidence of treatment-related mortality (TRM) in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and lymphoblastic lymphoma (LBL) is up to 52%. This study aimed to determine the mortality rate at the end of the induction phase of the treatment among patients with ALL and lymphoma at a tertiary care cancer center.

Methods

This retrospective study analyzed outcomes after induction chemotherapy in pediatric patients with acute leukemia and lymphoma at a tertiary care cancer center from January 2015 to December 2016. Information regarding demographics, clinical characteristics, and laboratory investigations were extracted and reviewed.

Results

Of the total 160 patients, 110 were males, and the mean age of the sample was 4.6 +2.8 years. B-cell leukemia (pre-B-ALL) was diagnosed in 84% (n=134), while 10% (n=6) had acute T-cell leukemia (pre-T-ALL) and 6% (n=10) had lymphoma. Sixteen patients (10%) died within the defined induction period, with 14 deaths occurring due to infections and two deaths resulting from chemotherapy-related toxicity.

Conclusion

Based on our findings, there is a significant prospect of mortality from infections during induction chemotherapy in patients with pediatric hematological malignancies.

Effect of socio-economic status & proximity of patient residence to hospital on survival in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

Background & objectives:

Survival in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) in lower/middle income countries continues to lag behind outcomes seen in high-income countries. Socio-economic factors and distance of their residence from the hospital may contribute to this disparity. This study was aimed at identifying the impact of these factors on outcome in childhood ALL.

Methods:

In this retrospective study, file review of children with ALL was performed. Patients were treated with the modified United Kingdom (UK) ALL-2003 protocol. Details of socio-economic/demographic factors were noted from a web-based patients’ database. Modified Kuppuswamy scale was used to classify socio-economic status.

Results:

A total of 308 patients with a median age of five years (range: 1-13 yr) were studied. Patients belonging to upper, middle and lower SE strata numbered 85 (28%), 68 (22%) and 155 (50%). Nearly one-third of the patients were underweight. There was no treatment abandonment among children whose mothers were graduates. Neutropenic deaths during maintenance therapy were lower in mothers who had passed high school. In patients who survived induction therapy, the five year event-free survival (EFS) of upper SE stratum was significantly better 78.7±4.9 vs. 59±7.2 and 58.1±4.6 per cent in middle and lower strata (P=0.026). Five year overall survival was higher in the higher SE group; being 91.2±3.5, 78.3±5.6 and 78.8±3.9 per cent (P=0.055) in the three strata. Survival was unaffected by a distance of residence from treating centre or rural/urban residence. High-risk and undernourished children had a greater hazard of mortality [1.80 (P=0.015); 1.98 (P=0.027)].

Interpretation & conclusions:

Our findings showed that higher socio-economic status contributed to superior EFS in children with ALL who achieved remission. Undernutrition increased the risk of mortality.

Early Deaths in Pediatric Acute Leukemia: A Major Challenge in Developing Countries

Children with acute leukemia may experience high treatment-related mortality, which often occurs early in the induction phase. The aim of the study was to assess the incidence and risk factors related to increased mortality during induction therapy of pediatric patients with acute leukemia. This is a retrospective study that included pediatric acute leukemia patients who presented to the National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, between January 2011 and December 2013. The study included 370 patients, 253 with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, 100 with acute myeloid leukemia, and 17 with mixed phenotype acute leukemia. The total and induction death rates were 40.5% and 19.2%, respectively. Most of the early deaths were attributed to infections (64.7%) and cerebrovascular accidents (18.3%). Using enhanced supportive care measures during 2013 had significantly reduced the overall and induction mortality rates (29% and 13.6%, respectively, in 2013 vs. 46% and 20.3% in 2011). Induction deaths in pediatric acute leukemia remain a major challenge in developing countries, and using enhanced supportive care measures is effective to improve the survival outcome in this group of patients.

Pediatric neuro-oncology survival disparities in California

The objective of this study was to investigate racial/ethnic differences in survival for pediatric high-grade glioma (HGG) and medulloblastoma in the state of California. We obtained data from the California Cancer Registry on 552 high-grade glioma patients (110 brainstem, 442 non-brainstem) and 648 medulloblastoma patients ages 0-19 years from 1988 to 2012. Using multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression, we examined the impact of individual and neighborhood characteristics on survival. Socioeconomic quintile and insurance status differed significantly by race for both diagnoses. Hispanic children with non-brainstem HGG had worse survival than non-Hispanic white children: hazard ratio (HR) 1.62; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.24-2.11, but the difference was mitigated some by accounting for socioeconomic status (HR 1.48, CI 1.10-1.99). Racial/ethnic differences in survival exist for children with high-grade glioma, particularly Hispanic children with non-brainstem high-grade glioma, and are likely related to sociologic factors.

Incidence and survival of childhood leukemia in Recife, Brazil: A population-based analysis

BACKGROUND

Leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer with incidence rates of around 48 per million for children under 15 years of age. The median age-adjusted incidence rate (AAIR) in children aged 0-14 years in Brazil is 53.3 per million. While overall survival rates for children with leukemia have improved significantly, data for incidence, trends, and relative survival among children and adolescents with leukemia in Recife, Brazil, remain incomplete, which hampers our analyses and provision of the best healthcare. The objective of this report is to provide that data.

METHODS

Data from the Population-Based Cancer Registry of Recife were analyzed from 1998 to 2007. Our analyses included frequencies and AAIR, together with age-specific incidence rates for all leukemias, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and acute myeloid leukemia. To evaluate incidence trends, joinpoint regression, including annual average percent change, were analyzed. Relative survival was calculated using the life-table method.

RESULTS

One hundred seventy-five cases were identified, 51% in females. The review reduced the not otherwise specified (NOS) leukemia category by 50% and diagnosis by death certificate only from 5.7% to 1.1%. The AAIR for leukemia was 41.1 per million, with a peak among children aged 1-4 (78.3 per million). Incidence trends during the period were stable. The five-year relative survival rate was 69.8%.

CONCLUSIONS

These data represent the incidence rate and survival of childhood leukemia in Recife, located in the northeast region of Brazil, using a high-quality database.