Abstract:
B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL) is common in children with 75% of cases occurring in children aged less than 6 years. It is a group of diseases characterized by recurrent genetic abnormalities, including balanced translocations and chromosome number abnormalities. New genetic anomalies that define novel B-ALL subtypes have been reported recently. Those included have been chosen because they are associated with distinctive clinical or phenotypic properties with important prognostic implications. The treatment of B-ALL is rapidly evolving due to an increased understanding of the genetic heterogeneity of B-ALL, which has contributed to the development of numerous novel therapies.
Key words: B-ALL, B-lymphoblastic leukaemia/lymphoma, recurrent genetic abnormalities
