Results of treatment for children diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia with the bfm protocol

The aim of the study is to demonstrate results of treatment for children suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemic (ALL) with the BFM protocol at the Hematological department of Pediatrics Clinics in Sarajevo 1997-2007. Patients and methods: The sample includes 139 children age 0 - 15 years treated for ALL at the Hematological department of Pediatrics Clinics in Sarajevo treated from January 1st, 1997 to December 31st, 2007. Therapy wa done according to the BFM protocol which consists of induction, consolidation, reinduction and maintenance phases in duration of 2 years. Till 1(st) January of 2003 we used protocol ALL-BFM-95, and after we switched to ALL-BFM 2002. Basic difference was in phase of consolidation where in the Protocol ALL-BFM 2002 are used high doses of methotrexate for protection of (5 g/m/2) CNS. We analyzed age, gender, clinical and labartory characteristics and results of treatment with ALL. We used standard statistic tests for statistical analysis. Results: Total of 139 children, 89 (64%) boys and 50 (36 %) girls, age 0,4 to 14,8 years. Average age of patients was 7 years. The highest number of patients 97 (70%) was in age group 1-10 ye- ars. Average-time period from onset of first symptoms to final diagnosis was 30 days. Clinical and laboratory findings of our patients in the start of the study were similar to characteristic of patients kith ALL quoted in big studies. Out of total number of patients (139 children) 23 died (16,5%), and 116 (83,5%) patients are alive Conclusion-Results of ALL treatment are satisfying and similar to those achieved in other hematological centers in the world.