title: Treating childhood acute myeloid leukaemia with the AML-BFM-83 protocol: experience in a developing country.
abstract: Treatment for childhood acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) consists of remission induction chemotherapy followed by postremission chemotherapy with or without bone marrow transplantation. The AML Berlin-Frankfurt-Munster (BFM)-83 protocol with induction-consolidation-maintenance chemotherapy for 2 years has been reported to result in a 6-year event-free survival (EFS) and event-free interval (EFI) of 49% and 61% respectively. A total of 174 Malaysian children were treated with this protocol between 1985 and 1999. The 5-year EFS and EFI was 30.7% and 48.0% respectively. The overall mortality from sepsis was 24%, which needs urgent address. The 5-year EFS for patients treated before 1993 and after 1993 was 18.6% and 41.3%, respectively (P = 0.04), while the EFI was 32% and 60.6% respectively (P = 0.034). The improvement seen after 1993 was related to a reduction in induction deaths for that period and probably reflected increased capability and familiarity to cope with the demands of the AML-BFM-83 protocol and accompanying complications in the treatment of AML.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics, University Malaya Medical Centre, Lembah Pantai, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. chanll@um.edu.my
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Abdel-Latif
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Ariffin
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ariffin
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Lin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003630:Daunorubicin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003906:Developing Countries; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005047:Etoposide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007951:Leukemia, Myeloid / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D003561:Cytarabine; D005047:Etoposide; D003630:Daunorubicin