Relapse among Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Leukemia Center at Al-Kuwait Hospital, Sana'a City, during 2020 - 2021

Abstract

• Background: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a cancer of lymphoid line of blood cells which is characterized by developmental of large number of immature lymphocytes. Leukemia is the commonest cancer among Yemeni children an adult Most cases with leukemia are treated by chemotherapy, during these cases relapse can occur and the central nervous system is a common site for relapse in acute lymphoblastic leukemia Our research based study design to check relapse among patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

• Objective: The present study aims to determine the relapse that occurs among patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in pediatric leukemia center in Al-Kuwait hospital Sana'a City, from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021.

• Methodology: A descriptive retrospective study was conducted on children with leukemia who were treated in pediatric leukemia unit at Al-Kuwait University Hospital in Sana'a city The sample size included 106 children diagnosed with cancer in pediatric leukemia center in Al-Kuwait hospital Sana'a City from 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2021, data was collected from files, and analyzed by using SPSS (Statistical Package for Social sciences).

• Result: Out of 106 of cases of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia who had a relapse in general were only 12 cases, with a rate of (11.3%) of the research sample eight of them had CNS relapse three had hematological and only one case had testicular relapse. In CNS relapse: five cases within the age group (1-5) years; With a rate of (62.5), One case in the age group (6-10) years, With a rate of (12.5%), two cases within the age group (11-16) years With a rate of (25%). In hematological relapse: two cases within the age group (1-5) years; with rate of 66.7%) of the cases affected by hematological relapse, with rate of (4.5%), Only one case had a hematological relapse within the age group(6-10) years, with rate of (33.3%) There is no cases of hematological relapse within the age group (11-16) years. In testicular relapse, only one case of had this type of relapse, with a rate of (100%), within the age group (6-10) years.

• Conclusions: 106 Cases had acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most of them had B cells type of leukemia, including (63.2%) were males, and (36.8%) were females. Most of these cases on regular treatment with rate of 89%, and 55% of cases were at high risk. (11.3%) of Cases had a relapse, which including (7.5%) of cases with CNS relapse, (2.8%) of cases with hematological relapse, and only (0.9%) of cases with testicular relapse. Most of relapses were at (1-5) years of age, and with regard to sex, they were equal between males and females. Also most of relapses were at high risk