Treatment Outcome of Paediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia: An Experience at Tertiary Care Oncology Unit

Objective: To determine the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) inPaediatric population in a tertiary care hospital. Study Design: Prospective longitudinal study Place and Duration of Study: Pediatric Oncology Ward, Combined Military Hospital, Rawalpindi Pakistan, from Sep 2018 to Aug 2019. Methodology: Inclusion criteria: Newly diagnosed patients of Acute myeloid leukemia under 18 years, admitted to paediatric oncology ward in CMH, from 1st September 2018 to 31st August 2019. Exclusion criteria: Children above 18 years, those getting treatment from other hospitals and who left treatment. Results: Data of 33 patients with Acute myeloid leukemia including 24(72.7%) males and 9(27.3%) females was analysed. Majority of children (39.4%)were less than 5 years of age. The most common presenting feature was fever in 27(81.8%) followed by pallor in 25(75.8%) cases. High WBC(>50x109/l) count was observed in 8(24.2%) patients. The most common French-American-British Acute myeloid leukemia Subtype M2 was seen in 16(48.5%). Treatment-related mortality (TRM) was 7(21.2%) with neutropenic sepsis as the major cause. After a median follow-up of 9 months, OS was 18(54.5%) and DFS was 17(51.5%). Conclusion: High Treatment related mortality was observed during induction chemotherapy and maximum remission was seen in patients with AML-M2 subtypes and favourable cytogenetics. Malnutrition and high WBC count at presentation were poor prognostic factors.