Acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children. Evaluation of risk factors and results of treatment in a pediatric milieu

: Rapid progress in acute lymphoblastic leukemia treatment in childhood has allowed five years survival rates at least for 50% vs 30% of standard risk (60-70%) and high risk (30-40%) patients. Analyzing our material from University Hospital Pediatric Department (Oran, Algeria) was leading to such conclusions as: First: excess of higher risk acute lymphoblastic leukemias; Second: excess of bad prognosis enzymatic/cytologic markers; Third: post therapeutic 5 years survival probability compares with lowest figures found in literature. Bearing in mind higher risk clinical material and poorer resources of hospital facilities, medical manpower and nursing in such an underdeveloped country as Algeria, therapeutic results seemed reasonably promising.