Background:
Outcomes of pediatric mature B cell NHL in resource challenged countries are negatively affected by increased rate of early and toxic deaths. Aim of this study is to assess rate of acute mortality and define significant risk factors present in children with mature B Cell NHL.
Methods:
A retrospective analysis was done of patients with B cell NHL from January 2012 till December 2016. Risk factors studied for acute mortality were malnutrition, stage, prior surgery with open laparotomy, LDH levels, tumor lysis syndrome, sepsis and fungal infection
Results:
Total 233 patients were enrolled in the study. Eighty five (36.4%) were below 15th percentile. Treatment was started in 226 patients. Eighty eight percent children showed 20% response after COP pre-phase. Tumor lysis syndrome was developed in 20.6 % (n = 48) children and 42.9% (n = 100) patients had sepsis, 71/100 patients had culture proven sepsis. 19.7% (n = 46) patients developed fungal infection. There was 19.7% (n = 46) acute mortality. Most common cause of death was sepsis (n = 22, 47.8%) followed by acute renal failure secondary to tumor lysis syndrome. On multivariate analysis, three independent variables found significant for early death are malnutrition, sepsis and tumor lysis syndrome.
Conclusion:
Rate of acute mortality in B cell NHL is high in our set up and significant risk
factors are tumor lysis syndrome, sepsis and malnourishment at time of presentation.