a) Paediatric Leukaemia

Leukaemia in children is almost always of the acute form, and about 80% are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The majority of the remainder are myelogenous leukaemias (AML). It can be helpful to remember the rule of 80%:

• 80% of leukaemias in children are acute lymphoblastic leukaemia; AML has a poorer prognosis
• 80% of ALL occurs in children 2-10 years of age, with ages outside this range having a poorer prognosis
• 80% of ALL is of B-cell lineage (the remaining 20% are T-cell lineage, also having a poor prognosis)

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