[Ocular relapse in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia]

ABSTRACT

In childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia [ALL], the eye would represent a pharmacological sanctuary, source of unexpected relapse. Three boys aged of 13 years, 4 and 5 years presented after the complete remission, a lymphoblastic relapse in the anterior segment of the eyes in the first two cases, and in the posterior segment of the left eye in the third case. The treatment was a systemic chemotherapy and orbital radiotherapy of 12 Gray. The patients died after they experienced bone marrow and/or central nervous system relapses within the first year. The outlook for children with ocular relapse remains poor. Only radiotherapy doses superior then 30 Gray can eradicate lymphoblastic cells and improve the prognosis