In a nutshell
This study looked at the effect of neutrophil recovery time (NRT – the return of white blood cells after treatment, that fight infection) on infections and relapse (return of disease) in children with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). The study found that longer NRT was linked with increased risk of severe infections and relapse after treatment of AML.
Some background
Acute myeloid leukaemia is a type of cancer that can affect the neutrophils, white blood cells of the immune system. This can lead to severe infections that the body is unable to fight off. Neutrophil recovery time is the time taken for neutrophils to return to normal from the start to the end of treatment. Treatment usually involves hemopoeitic stem cell transplantation (HSCT – replacing abnormal cells with normal donor cells). It is important to study the relationship between NRT and infections that affect children who are being treated for AML.
Methods & findings
279 patients treated for AML were included in the study. 264 patients were not treated with HSCT in the first complete remission (no sign of cancer). 118 (45%) of these patients experienced a relapse.
Longer NRT after the first round of treatment, was linked with longer NRT in following treatment cycles. NRT longer than 30 days after the first round of treatment was linked with 48% increased risk of relapse (return of AML after treatment). NRT longer than 25 days was linked with severe infections. These included both bacterial and fungal infections.
The bottom line
The study concluded that longer neutrophil recovery time after the first round of treatment was linked with severe infections and relapse in children with AML.
The fine print
The study had a small sample size.
Published By :
Pediatric blood & cancer
Date :
May 21, 2018
