Children under two years treated according to the Medical Research Council UKALL VIII study and trial 1980-1984 (on behalf of the Medical Research Council Working Party on Leukaemia in Childhood).

Ten per cent of children entered into the national leukaemia study UKALL VIII were under 2 years at diagnosis. The 6 year event-free survival of this cohort was 39%. Specific adverse features were age under 1 year, high initial white cell count and null cell ALL. Those with common ALL, WBC 10-50 x 10(9) 1-1 and especially those aged 18 months or older did not have an adverse prognosis compared with the whole trial entrants. Overall, however there was a doubling of CNS relapse rate and of both induction and remission deaths. Those with a WBC under 10 x 10(9) 1-1 had a high haematological relapse rate. The type of leukaemia and method of management rather than specifically the age appeared to be the predictor for poor outcome.

RCT Entities:   Population Interventions Outcomes