RESULTS OF HEMATOPOIETIC CELL TRANSPLANTATION IN PEDIATRIC LEUKEMIA

Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is an accepted treatment for acute myeloid leukemia (AML) in first remission, the treatment of choice for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) and high risk groups of ALL who relapse with conventional chemotherapy. We assessed results of HCT for pediatric leukemia in our center. A total of 92 children, 63 with diagnose of AML, 23 with ALL and 6 with CML received allogeneic transplantation from HLA full matched siblings (57.6%) and autologous transplantation (42.4%). Source of hematopoietic cells were peripheral blood 83.7%, bone marrow 15.2% and cord blood 1.6%. The median transplanted nucleated cells were 6.4 ± 4.7 ×108 /Kg (body weight of patients) and mononuclear cells were 5.5 ± 2.9×108/Kg. The most common conditioning regimens were cyclophosphamide + busulfan. Prophylaxis regimen for GVHD was cyclosporin ± methotrexate. GVHD occurred in 50 (54.3%) patients. Eighty five of children had engraftment, 26 (28.6%) relapsed and 57 (62%) are alive. The most common cause of death was relapse (68.6%). Five years overall survival of patients with AML and ALL were 49% and 44% respectively and disease free survival of them were 52% and 49%. One year overall survival and disease free survival of CML was 57%. Overall survival increased with increasing age of patients at transplantation time (P = 0.06). Longer survival significantly related to earlier WBC and platelet recovery (P < 0.0001 and P = 0.006 respectively). Considering acceptable overall and disease free survival of patients after HCT, we concluded that is a good modality in treatment of leukemia of children.