Diagnosis and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Iran
Diagnosis and treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia in Iran
Melika Najafi,1,*Pedram Bolbolizadeh,2Fatemeh Vahid,3
1. Hormozgan University of Medical sciences 2. Hormozgan University of Medical sciences 3. Hormozgan University of Medical sciences
Introduction: Acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) is a malignancy of B or T lymphoblasts characterized by uncontrolled proliferation of abnormal, immature lymphocytes and their progenitors which ultimately leads to the replacement of bone marrow elements and other lymphoid organs resulting in a characteristic disease pattern.Blood cancers represent the world's fifth most prevalent type of cancer, accounting for about 8% of all cancers. Leukemia is the fourth leading cause of death among Iranian children aged 5 to14 years. The most prevalent cancer of children in the world and in Iran is ALL. The peak incidence age of ALL is between 2–5 years, and it is more common in males. The high incidence and prevalence of leukemia are associated with significant mortality, incurring high diagnostic and therapeutic costs in Iran. This review is amid to discuss the status and challenges associated with ALL management in Iran
Methods: In this review, relevant studies were searched in scientific databases fusing Based on their title, and keywords associated with ALL and Acute lymphocytic leukemia from 2016 to march 2022. Out of 623 studies, 32 articles related to our aim according to the inclusion criteria of this review article, were studied.
Results: Information regarding ALL in Iran is scarce; however, many efforts have been made to overcome these barriers. Nevertheless, major obstacles to successful treatment in Iran and LMIC remain poor adherence, abandonment of treatment, and lack of supportive therapy and new therapeutic agents.
Conclusion: Further improvements in survival should be pursued by developing more Iran registries, forming cooperative groups, developing educational models to facilitate earlier diagnosis and prevention of complications, better support therapy and management of infections, and adapting treatment strategies.