Acute Leukemia in Down Syndrome Children, A Morroccan Retrospective Review

Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at higher risk of developing acute leukemia and has been recognized to have unique clinical features and significant differences in treatment response and toxicity profiles compared to patients without Down syndrome. One of the challenges faced in treating children with Down syndrome and leukemia is balancing curative therapy against potential toxicities. A retrospective review of the clinical features, treatment outcomes of DS children with acute leukemia was conducted in the Center for Pediatric Hematology and Oncology in rabat child hospital.(CHOP) from 2006 to 2016. This review included a total of 30 patients with DS. Ten were diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia and 20 had acute myeloid leukemia (AML). This study points out that investigators will have to carefully assess the balance between the antileukemic efficacy and treatment-related mortality of current chemotherapy regimens. Several studies are currently in progress that will answer some of the many questions raised in this field.