OBJECTIVETo study the efficacy and safety of Chinese Childhood Leukemia Group ALL 2008 (CCLG-ALL2008) protocol combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI, imatinib) for the treatment of Philadelphia chromosome-positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in children.

METHODSThe clinical data of 53 patients aged less than 15 years when first diagnosed with Ph+ ALL between October 2008 and December 2013 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were assigned to two groups: HR (n=26) and HR+TKI (n=27). The HR group was treated with CCLG-ALL2008 protocol (for high-risk patients). The HR+TKI group was treated with imatinib in combination with CCLG-ALL2008 protocol (for high-risk patients).

RESULTSThe complete remission rate and chemotherapy induction-related mortality rate in the TKI+HR and HR groups were 100% vs 75% and 0 vs 15%, respectively. The 3-year event-free survival (EFS) rate in the HR group was (6±5)%; the 5-year EFS rate of the TKI+HR group was (52±11)%. Compared with the HR group, the TKI+HR group had no increase in the toxic responses to chemotherapy and had a decrease in the infection rate during the induction period.

CONCLUSIONSApplication of imatinib significantly improves the clinical efficacy in children with Ph+ ALL and has good safety.