What is the peak age range for acquiring acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)?
A. 4 to 12 years.
B. 20 to 30 years
C. 40 to 50 years
D. 60 to 70 years
Correct Answer: A. 4 to 12 years.
The peak incidence of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL) is 4 years of age. It is uncommon after 15 years of age. It is diagnosed in about 4000 people in the United States each year with the majority being under the age of 18. It is the most common malignancy of childhood. The peak age of diagnosis is between two and ten years of age.
Option B: There are rare incidences of ALL between the ages of 20 to 30 years. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is more common in children with Trisomy 21 (Down syndrome), neurofibromatosis type 1, Bloom syndrome, and ataxia telangiectasia. All are common in children between two and three years of age.
Option C: Adults between 40 to 50 years old very rarely have cases of ALL. Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is a disease with low incidence overall in population studies. The incidence of Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia is about 3.3 cases per 100,000 children. Survival rates for ALL have improved dramatically since the 1980s, with a current five-year overall survival rate estimated at greater than 85 percent.
Option D: Prognosis among older adults above 60 years old is poor. Prognosis is diminished in children when diagnosed in infants less than one year of age and in adults. It is more favorable for children. Association of the MLL gene in children at 11q23 chromosome is associated with poor prognosis.