SERIAL DETERMINATIONS OF SERUM FERRITIN IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC LEUKEMIA Evaluation of its Usefulness as a Prognostic Index

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Abstract
Thirty children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia were monitored with serial serum ferritin determinations for up to 17 mo. In children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia before initiation of therapy, or in relapse, the mean serum ferritin concentration was 636 .mu.g/l. In childen who went into primary remission, the mean serum ferritin concentration fell from 265 .mu.g/l prior to start of treatment, to 161 .mu.g/l after 3 mo. of treatment. Five patients relapsed. Their serum ferritin levels prior to the relapses ranged from 7-135 .mu.g/l. At the time of relapse a further increase in serum ferritin was found in only 2 of the children. Whereas high serum ferritin levels may signal disease activity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a normal serum ferritin level does not exclude disease activity or impending relapse.