Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Essay -- Disease, Disorders

Acute lymphoblastic leukaemia is the most common childhood cancer accounting for around 20-30% of solely childhood neoplasms. Annual incidence rates vary worldwide between one and four cases per 100,000, primarily in children ages two - six years erstwhile(a) (1). The disease is less common in adults, with only around 1,000 cases being diagnosed annually and with a significantly lower cure rate, r atomic number 18ly exceeding 40%. In turn, infants diagnosed under the age of one have an even poorer survival rate of 30%. Several studies in monozygotic twins and neonatal telephone circuit smears have indicated a clear prenatal origin for childhood cases, detecting specific transmittable abnormalities in prenatal samples, which may act as initiating events although clearly further postnatal events are required for transformation (2 3 4). TEL-AML fusion genes, for example, were found in 1% of newborn samples, which is significantly greater than the number of all(a) cases, clearly dem onstrating that there may often be a prenatal origin for initial genetic aberrations and that further genetic alterations are necessary to trail ALL (3 4). A small study further supports a prenatal origin in a pair of monozygotic twins with childhood B cell precursor (BCP) ALL with identical cytogenetic abnormalities, signifying a prenatal foundation, as well various contrasting genetic lesions illustrating that further genetic events are required to generate a malignant phenotype (2). A few inherited syndromes such as Downs syndrome, Blooms syndrome and other genetic syndromes have also been associated with a risk. Environmental factors may also play a role in the development of ALL such as characterisation to radiation, chemotherapy and possibly infections. Two infection based theories based on observ... ...entical twins. Maia, AT, et al. 2202-2206, s.l. Nature Leukemia, 2003, Vol. 17.3. Chromosome translocations and covert leukemic clones are generated during normal fetal dev elopment. Mori, Hiroshi, Colman, Susan and al, et. 12, s.l. PNAS, 2002, Vol. 99. 8242-8247.4. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia. Pui, Ching-Hon, Robison, Leslie and Look, A Thomas. 1030-43, s.l. Lancet, 2008, Vol. 371.5. Infections and immune factors in cancer the role of epidemiology. Kinlen, Leo. 6341-6348, s.l. Nature Oncogene, 2004, Vol. 23.6. Kanwar, Vikramjit S. Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Medscape Reference. Online November 21, 2011. http//emedicine.medscape.com/article/990113-overview.7. Targeting paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia novel therapies currently in development. Lee-Sherick, Alisa B, et al. 2010, British Journal of Haematology, pp. 295-311.