Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41549234›Full record

ArticleBMC cancer2026

Incidence, patterns of clinical presentation, and haematological characteristics of paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia in Uganda: a retrospective analysis.

Richard Nyeko, Mariana Kruger, Nixon Niyonzima, Barnabas Atwiine, Jennifer Zungu, Joyce Balagadde Kambugu, Stijn Verhulst, Jaques van Heerden

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Article in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Richard NyekoDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine, Lira University, P.O. Box 1035, Lira, Uganda. rnyeko2@gmail.com.
Mariana KrugerDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.
Nixon NiyonzimaDirectorate of Research and Training, Uganda Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 3935, Kampala, Uganda.
Barnabas AtwiineDepartment of Paediatrics, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara City, Uganda.
Jennifer ZunguDepartment of Paediatric Hematology-Oncology, Mulago National Specialized Hospital, Kampala, Uganda.
Joyce Balagadde KambuguDivision of Paediatric Oncology, Uganda Cancer Institute, P.O. Box 3935, Kampala, Uganda.
Stijn VerhulstDepartment of Paediatrics, Antwerp University Hospital, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium.
Jaques van HeerdenDepartment of Paediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundCurrent understanding of paediatric acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) in Africa is limited. This study investigated the incidence, presentation pattern, and haematological profiles of paediatric AML in Uganda.

methodsThis retrospective cohort study examined the medical records of children under 18 years of age who were diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) at three cancer centres in Uganda from 2016 to 2022. Data included demographics, clinical features, and laboratory findings. Frequencies, bivariate analyses, and regression models were performed, with statistical significance set at p < 0.05.

resultsThe study included 159 children diagnosed with AML, with a median age of 9.0 years (IQR 3.0–12.0). The incidence was 7.0/million children 0–17 years. The most common presenting symptoms were fever (84.3%), weight loss (44.0%), fatigue (40.9%), bleeding (35.8%), and bone pain (28.9%). Clinical findings at diagnosis included splenomegaly (40.9%), lymphadenopathy (39.6%), myeloid sarcoma (39.6%), and hepatomegaly (37.7%). The median (IQR) white blood cell (WBC) count at diagnosis was 32.0 × 10⁹/L (0.3–81.8). The predominant FAB subtype was M7 (n = 22, 24.4%), followed by M5 (n = 20, 22.2%). Acute promyelocytic leukaemia was seen in 13 (8.2%) patients, while 11 (6.9%) patients had myeloid leukaemia of Down syndrome. Cytogenetic analysis was limited to only 10 patients. There were significant differences in clinical characteristics by age with respect to splenomegaly, central nervous system involvement, and FAB subtype.

conclusionsThe incidence of paediatric AML in this study mirrors global patterns, with a higher-than-expected prevalence of the M7 subtype noted. In settings with limited resources, diagnosis relies mainly on clinical and morphological assessment. Broader access to cytogenetic and molecular testing could improve subtype identification and risk profiling.

Indexed as

Leukemia, Myeloid, AcuteAdolescentChildChild, PreschoolFemaleHumansIncidenceInfantInfant, NewbornMaleRetrospective StudiesUgandaAcute myeloid leukaemiaAfricaEpidemiologyIncidencePaediatricUganda

Identifiers

PMID41549234
PMCPMC12908260

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