Obesity as a Prognostic Factor of Central Nervous System Relapse in Children with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Single-Centre Study and Literature Review

Abstract

Relapse as the commonest treatment failure through chemotherapy of child presented with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is usually within 3 years of remission. Central nervous system (CNS) is expected as a site of extramedullary relapse in 3–8% of child leukemia, often leading to a poor prognosis. A few patients may have headache and vomiting and can be diagnosed without difficulty. However, most patients present with asymptomatic conditions. Obesity has become one of the greatest reported complications of children ALL survivors. Rarely, obesity presentation can be the first manifestation of CNS leukemia. Here, we present three unusual cases with B-ALL presentation of obesity as the first symptom at the time of CNS relapse after achieving remission. This highly localized presentation is unusual and would hopefully inform clinicians to have a high index of suspicion for relapse in children with ALL.