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. 2023 Sep;70 Suppl 6(Suppl 6):e30585.
doi: 10.1002/pbc.30585. Epub 2023 Jul 25.

Children's Oncology Group blueprint for research: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Elizabeth A Raetz  1 , Deepa Bhojwani  2 , Meenakshi Devidas  3   4 , Lia Gore  5 , Karen R Rabin  6 , Sarah K Tasian  7 , David T Teachey  7 , Mignon L Loh  8   9
Affiliations

Children's Oncology Group blueprint for research: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Elizabeth A Raetz et al. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2023 Sep.

Abstract

Cure rates for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer have steadily improved over the past five decades. This is due to intensifying systemic therapy, recognizing and treating the central nervous system as a sanctuary site, and implementing modern risk stratification to deliver varying intensities of therapy based on age, presenting white blood count, sentinel somatic genetics, and therapy response. Recently, numerous Children's Oncology Group trials have demonstrated the lack of benefit of intensifying traditional chemotherapy, providing evidence that new approaches are needed to cure the patients for whom cure has been elusive. Distinguishing those who require intensive or novel therapeutic approaches from others who will be cured with minimal therapy is key for future trials. Incorporating new genomic biomarkers and more sensitive measures of minimal/measurable residual disease provide opportunities to achieve these goals.

Keywords: clinical trials; lymphoblastic leukemia; precision medicine.

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Conflict of interest statement

LG has served on an unpaid advisory board to Amgen, Kura, Janssen, Novartis, Roche/Genentech, Syndax.

SKT receives/d research funding for unrelated studies from Beam Therapeutics, Incyte Corporation, and Kura Oncology, has consulted for bluebird bio and Jazz Pharmaceuticals, has received travel support from Amgen, and serves/d on scientific advisory boards of Aleta Biotherapeutics, Kura Oncology, and Syndax Pharmaceuticals. She has also served an uncompensated Advisor for the LLS PedAL/EuPAL consortium.

DTT serves on advisory boards for Jazz, BEAM Therapeutics, and Sobi and receives research funding from BEAM Therapeutics, Neoimmune Tech, Servier and Jazz.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Overall survival in patients treated on COG or legacy COG trials since 1968
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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