Journal issues > Issue 4, December 2013 > PEG-asparaginase in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

PEG-asparaginase in the treatment of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia

By: V. Mondelaers MD, T. Bauters PharmD, PhD, B. De Moerloose MD, PhD, Y Benoit MD, PhD

Summary

Asparaginase is an essential compound of combination chemotherapy in acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in children and adults. Essentially, three preparations of asparaginase are used in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: native Escherichia coli asparaginase, Erwinia chrysanthemi asparaginase and PEG-asparaginase. Although PEG-asparaginase seems to have some advantages over the other asparaginase preparations, its clinical use in Europe is limited to second-line therapy after allergic reactions to native asparaginase. This is in contrast to the United States, where PEG-asparaginase has been approved as first-line treatment of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. This report describes the properties, clinical benefits and side effects of PEG-asparaginase.

(BELG J HEMATOL 2013;4(4): 138–143)

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