Prevalence and treatment outcomes of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Kosovo

Pasha, Flaka (author), Urbančič, Dunja (author), Maxhuni, Rufadie (author), Krasniqi, Shaip (author), Grajçevci Uka, Violeta (author), Mlinarič-Raščan, Irena (author)

Advances in research, including novel biomarker identification and patient stratification, have significantly improved the therapy for childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), though access to improved healthcare services varies across geographical regions. In an effort to evaluate the advances in therapeutic approaches, we performed a retrospective analysis of childhood ALL in Kosovo. Our retrospective analysis included 225 cases diagnosed between 2008 and 2023, representing 52% of 429 diagnosed childhood cancers. The average annual incidence was 14, with a median age diagnosis of seven years, and a male predominance (59.54%). Patients were categorized into risk groups, with the majority (43%) in the standard-risk category. We identified five different treatment protocols for this study period. Over 61% of patients achieved remission after the first chemotherapy cycle and we observed a 20% mortality rate. Survival analysis showed that 55% and 40% of patients achieved 2-year and 5-year event-free survival (EFS), respectively, with significant differences across risk groups. Treatment advancements significantly correlated with improved survival rates, achieving a 5-year overall survival (OS) of 88% in the currently used standardized AIEOP-BFM-2009 protocol. Our study emphasizes the need for continued research and customized care strategies to enhance clinical outcomes.

• Language: English
• Keywords: acute lymphoblastic leukemia, treatment, overall survival, event-free survival, pediatric
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FFA - Faculty of Pharmacy
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 13 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 16, no. 11, art. 1988
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-158178
• UDC: 616.155.392+616-053.2
• ISSN on article: 2072-6694
• DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111988
• COBISS.SI-ID: 196879107
• Publication date in RUL: 28.05.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Cancers
• Shortened title: Cancers
• Publisher: MDPI
• ISSN: 2072-6694
• COBISS.SI-ID: 517914137

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: akutna limfoblastna levkemija, zdravljenje, pediatrija, splošno preživetje, preživetje brez dogodkov