Adult and childhood acute lymphocytic leukemia: are they different diseases?
Age has long been recognized as an important factor in predicting response to treatment for acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). Specifically, the results of treatment of childhood ALL have been far superior to the treatment of what appears to be the same disease in adults. However, from an analysis of the clinical and biological prognostic factors known to be predictive in childhood ALL, there is a striking difference in their distribution in adults with ALL. It appears that there is a special form of ALL seen in children of some populations with a peak incidence of three to seven years. This treatment responsive leukemia appears to be different clinically, biologically, and epidemiologically from adult ALL.
Mauer
A M
AM
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, University of Tennessee, Memphis 38163.
D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D016130:Immunophenotyping; D007621:Karyotyping; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D054198:Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification* / Q000503:physiopathology