Proposal of a genetic classifier for risk group stratification in pediatric T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma reveals differences from adult T cell lymphoblastic leukemia
T cell lymphoblastic lymphoma (T LBL) represents the second most common subtype of non Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in children and adolescents. Current chemotherapy protocols reach event free survival probabilities (pEFS) of 75 85%,1 and are associated with relevant late effects2, 3 and treatment related death rates of ~4%.4 Although reduction of treatment associated toxicities therefore remains an important aim, poor probabilities of survival in relapsed LBL of 10 15%5 leave no room for treatment de escalation in frontline protocols. For pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) risk assessment and treatment stratification have allowed safe treatment de escalation for low risk patients and intensification for high risk patients.6 Limitations in numbers of newly diagnosed patients have impeded evaluation and validation of potential markers for pediatric LBL.
Leukemia