EFFECT OF INDUCTION CHEMOTHERAPY ON VITAMIN D LEVEL IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LEUKEMIA

Background: Subnormal level of vitamin D are associated with the higher frequency of cancer and correlated with inferior prognosis in some cancers; no data exist for acute leukemia. Aim of the work: To clarify the relationship between serum vitamin D levels and acute leukemia in children. Materials and Methods: Vitamin D level was measured in sixty-six pediatric patients who are newly diagnosed with acute leukemia in Central Child Teaching Hospital during a period between March 5^th to August 30^th, 2017 and normal 50 children were considered as the control group. Information on the patients were obtained from the medical files of the patients. Patients were classified on a random base as active patients group how the received daily requirement of vitamin D during induction chemotherapy period and passive patients’ group who were treated with chemotherapy only. Vitamin D level was reassessed at the time of remission. Results: The serum vitamin D level in children with acute leukemia was below normal ranges; at the time of diagnosis, the mean of serum level was 13 ng/dl, while in the control group was 21 ng/dl. There was a statistical difference between the patient’s group and the control group (p-value 0.001). At the time of remission, serum vitamin D level decreased to 11.8 ng/dl in the passive patients’ group and increased in active patients group to 17.1 ng/dl. Conclusion:  vitamin D level was low in a majority of pediatric patients with acute leukemia, and it was further reduced after induction-remission in patients without vitamin D replacement.