Background: Malnutrition is an adverse prognostic factor in the outcome of children with standard risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia due to a significantly higher rate of bone marrow relapse in the malnourished patients. The event free survival of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in developed countries has increased substantially in the last two decades as treatment with intensive protocols has brought the estimated probability of event free survival at 5 years close to 75%. Although the prognosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia has also been improved in underdeveloped countries, the figures for event free survival are lower, even when aggressive protocols are used. Unfavorable socioeconomic factors could contribute to this observation.
Patients and Method: A retrospective study was done on cases of childhood acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia admitted to the Pediatrics Oncology Ward in AL-Kadhimiyia Teaching Hospital over a period of one year from 1st of June 2007 to end of May 2008.Fifty five patients were collected .Informations were taken from the case sheets of the patients and their records in the Pediatric Oncology Clinic. Weight and height were recorded, Using charts of height for age (Ht/Age) and the Z score = -1.28 (10th percentile), the patients were divided into two groups, malnourished and well nourished.
Results: Of the studied group, 28 patients (51%) were between 1-10 years. Thirty two patients (58.2%) were males and 23 (41.8%) were females, with male to female ratio of 1.39:1. Thirty Six (65.45%) patients were below 10th percentile (with Z score below – 1.28) i.e. malnourished, and 19 (34.55%) patients above 10th percentile (Z score above – 1.28) i.e. well nourished. Of the malnourished patients, 26(81.2%) patients achieved complete remission, while in comparison to well nourished patients, 16(84.2%) patients achieved complete remission. The result is statistically not significant (p. value > 0.05). During follow up, of the 42(82.3%) patients that achieved complete remission, 12(28.57%) relapsed, 9(34.62%) of them were malnourished. Death occurred in 7 (16.67%) patients, 6 (23.08%) of them were malnourished. Three patients (7.14%) discontinue treatment, 1(3.84%) of them was malnourished. Twenty (47.62%) patients remained with continuous complete remission, 10 (38.46%) patients were malnourished and another 10(62.5%) were well nourished. Using the Chi square, the results were statistically not significant (p. value> 0.05).
Conclusion: From this study, it was concluded that malnutrition in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia is considered an important risk factor. Although malnourished children
achieved complete remission but a high percentage of them relapsed or died.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of the blood and bone marrow (spongy tissue in the center of bone). In ALL, too many bone marrow stem cells develop into a type of white blood cell called lymphocytes. These abnormal lymphocytes are not able to fight infection very well. The aim of this study was to investigate possible links between E3 SUMO-Protein Ligase NSE2 [NSMCE2] and increase DNA damage in the childhood patients with Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Laboratory investigations including hemoglobin(Hb) ,white blood cell (WBC) , serum total protein , albumin ,globulin , in addition to serum total antioxidant activity (TAA) , Advanced oxidation protein products(AOPP) and E3 SUMO-Protein Ligase NSE2[NSMCE2]. Blood samples
... Show MoreBackground: Thiopurines are essential medications in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) treatment protocols as anti-cancer agents since long time; however, their use might result in unexpected toxicities in ALL children due to the low thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) activity, a major enzyme involved in 6- mercaptopurine metabolism, which strongly correlates to the genetic polymorphism of the TPMT gene in those patients.
Objective: To identify the most common TPMT polymorphisms in children with ALL and its frequencies.
Methods: A cross sectional study enrolling eighty-one ALL children receiving mercaptopurine drug during their maintenance course of treatment accordin
... Show MoreObjective(s): To assess the level of depression and anxiety among school age children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia under chemotherapy treatment and to find out the relationship between the level of depression and anxiety among the affected children and their demographic characteristics.
Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted on school age children both gender having acute lymphoblastic leukemia under chemotherapy treated and their age between 6 years to 12 years. The study started from the period of September, 19th 2020 to March,1st 2021. Non-probability (Purposive) sample of (114) children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia under chemotherapy was selected in attending hospital wards, outpatient and counseling clinics
Leukemia is the most common cancer in children which causes death despite the high survival rate. Therefore, new methods are required to find a suitable therapy. A small RNA called microRNAs (miRNAs) is used as a biomarker for cancer diagnosis and early prognostic evaluation. Expression levels of three miRNAs from the 3' arm (miR-142-3p, miR-223-3p and miR-146-3p) were detected in serum samples from 30 acute leukemic children and from 30 healthy individuals by using qPCR. The miR-142-3p and miR-146-3p profiles were significantly downregulated (P=0.0010 and 0.0012, respectively), while miR-223 was found to be significantly upregulated (P= 0.0044) in the pateints. Serum level of C/EBP-β
... Show MoreBackground: Increase in marrow reticulin has long been recognized in primary myelofibrosis, but little was known about the reticulin structure of leukemic marrows, there has been a tendency to accept an increase in marrow reticulin as evidence of myelofibrosis. Similarly, there has been a tendency to diagnose as "acute myelofibrosis" cases of acute leukemia with brisk reticulin and early collagen production. This study was undertaken to determine incidence, type and pattern of fibrosis in the bone marrow of patients with acute leukemia, both acute lymphoblastic and acute myeloid leukemia.
Method: thirty-five bone marrow biopsy specimens from patients with acute leukemia were examined histologically; connective tissue stains were appli
Background: Acute idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP) is a self – limiting illness, usually occurring after an infectious disease, and it is due to decrease number of circulating platelets manifests as a bleeding tendency, easy bruising (purpura), or extravasations of blood from capillaries into skin and mucous membranes. &n
... Show MoreBackground: In recent years, bone marrow angiogenesis is indicated to be involved in the pathogenesis and progression of certain hematological malignancies like acute leukemia, lymphomas, and multiple myeloma. Recent studies have suggested that bone marrow angiogenesis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia and also has prognostic value in the disease.
Objectives: at the present study, bone marrow angiogenesis in ALL will be examined using immunohistochemical staining for CD34, and this will be correlated with various pathological, laboratory and clinical parameters.
Patients and methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was done on 60 patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (32 ma
Objectives: To identify child or family related risk factors for
unintentional childhood poisoning in Sulaymaniyah, Iraq and to suggest
possible causes and preventive measures.
Methods: This is an epidemiological description and a case-control study. The study was undertaken in Sulaymani ,in 2004-2005. Cases were 200 children who were admitted to the hospital for treatment of poisoning. For every case two controls were selected. Al l parents of the children were interviewed by using a questionnaire that incl uded demographic and poisoning characteristic information.<
... Show MoreAcute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is one of the commonest hematological malignancies affecting children and adults. Recent evidence suggests an involvement of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in ALL pathogenicity. Epigenetic aberration, especially altered DNA methylation marks, is a key event of cancer development. The present study aims to investigate how the ALL epimethylome reacts to viral infection through the assessment of the total 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels in ALL patients, according to EBV infection. The 5mC global DNA methylation levels in 50 diagnosed ALL patients (age mean 26.23 yrs; age range 10-60 yrs) and 25 age-matched healthy controls were assessed using MethylFlash™ Methylated DNA Quantification Kit. Acute pri
... Show MoreBackground: One of the strongest risk factors for breast cancer is high breast density, relatively little fat in the breast and more connective and glandular tissue.
Objectives: this study aims to measure risk of increase breast density in correlation of CA breast & compare our results with results in other population, to compare the performance of ultrasonography and mammography in measuring breast density according to BIRDS system
Materials &methods: The study included 45 females .Measuring risk of increase breast density in correlation of CA breast & comparing the performance of ultrasonography and mammography in measuring breast density according to BIRADS system.
Results : there is stron