India

INCTR is supporting the development of the Acute Leukemia Study Group of India (ALSGI), including support for data management. Data collected between 1990 and 1997 on acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients treated with protocol MCP841 from these centers are being analyzed. The results of the analysis will be prepared for joint publication by the three centers which presently form the core of the ALSGI. A new group protocol is being developed, the design of which will draw heavily upon information obtained in the course of conducting previous protocols.

Investigations into the molecular profile of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in India in comparison to that in other world regions are underway. Early findings suggest significant differences, for example, a paucity of ALL with a 12:21 translocation in India. This information has relevance to treatment approaches and outcome, since prognosis varies in ALL with different translocations (patients with 12:21 translocations generally have an excellent prognosis). These studies are being done in a collaboration between the All India Insitute for Medical Sciences and Dr Kishor Bhatia's laboratory at the King Fahad Children's Medical Center in Saudi Arabia. The findings will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology in December.