What is it about?
L-asparaginase is effective against acute lymphoblastic leukemia but may cause adverse effects such as PRES, a rare neurological complication. This review reports cases in children treated with L-ASNase, where symptoms reversed after discontinuation of the drug, highlighting the importance of early detection and proper management during chemotherapy.
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Why is it important?
Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome (PRES) is a serious neurological complication that, although rare, can cause severe symptoms such as seizures, headache, visual disturbances, and confusion in pediatric patients treated with L-asparaginase. Early recognition allows for timely discontinuation of the drug and appropriate symptomatic management, which can lead to complete reversal of symptoms and prevent permanent neurological damage. Additionally, identifying this complication improves treatment safety, optimizes therapeutic outcomes, and reduces morbidity associated with chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. In summary, its importance lies in preventing serious sequelae and ensuring effective and safe therapy for children with this disease.
Perspectives
From our perspective, it is relevant to report the clinical impact of this complication on chemotherapy, mainly because it is associated with the use of a biopharmaceutical that has been considered the gold standard in the treatment of ALL in the pediatric population for more than 40 years. We consider it serious, although it occurs in a low percentage of the affected population, since the interruption of treatment during a critical disease, such as acute lymphoblastic leukemia, poses significant risks, leads to delayed recovery, deteriorates the quality of life of suffering patients, and often results in death. In this context, we believe it is increasingly necessary to develop safer and more effective strategies for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and we promote interdisciplinary collaboration as a fundamental pillar to advance the understanding of the disease and the development of new therapies.
María Tosta Pérez
Universidad de La Frontera
I hope that this article serves as a basis for new research in the area, and to generate collaborations in the clinical area associated with the use of asparaginase
Lisandra Herrera Belén
Universidad Santo Tomas
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome Associated with L-Asparaginase Treatment in Children: Literature Review and Six Case Reports, Current Drug Safety, August 2025, Bentham Science Publishers,
DOI: 10.2174/0115748863290290240710161133.
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