Changing diet and exercise can make chemotherapy more effective in youth with leukemia
Overweight children and adolescents receiving chemotherapy for treatment of leukemia are less successful battling the disease compared to their lean peers. Now, research conducted at the Cancer and Blood Disease Institute at Children s Hospital Los Angeles indicates that modest changes in diet and exercise can greatly increase survival in youth treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common childhood cancer.
To our knowledge, this is the first study to show that by limiting calories and increasing exercise we can make chemotherapy more effective in eliminating leukemia cells within the first month of therapy, decreasing the chances of disease relapse in children and adolescents.
UVA Health study shows stem cell transplants often prevent relapsing in common childhood cancers A new study out of UVA Health is giving hope to children with cancer, many of whom tend to relapse. By Riley Wyant | March 31, 2021 at 7:51 PM EDT - Updated March 31 at 9:58 PM
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - A new study out of University of Virginia Health is giving hope to children with cancer, many of whom tend to relapse.
Researchers at UVA Health found that children and young adults in remission who receive CAR T-cell therapy and a subsequent stem cell transplant are not as prone to relapsing. The Journal of Clinical Oncology published the findings.
Stem cell transplants offer long-term benefits for pediatric cancer patients receiving immunotherapy
Apr 1 2021
Children and young adults who receive CAR T-cell therapy for the most common childhood cancer - acute lymphoblastic leukemia - suffer remarkably fewer relapses and are far more likely to survive when the treatment is paired with a subsequent stem cell transplant, a new study finds.
Daniel Trey Lee is conducting pioneering clinical research in the battle against childhood cancer. Image Credit: UVA Health
The research, with an average follow up of nearly five years, suggests that stem cell transplants offer long-term benefits for young patients who receive the cutting-edge immunotherapy. CAR T-cell therapy results in complete remission in 60%-100% of patients initially, but the relapse rate is high. However, among those who received a stem cell transplant after CARs, the relapse rate was less than 10% two years later.
In some cancers, including leukemia in children and adolescents, obesity can negatively affect survival outcomes. Obese young people with leukemia are 50% more likely to relapse after treatment than their lean counterparts.
ALSF announces grant award recipients of Crazy 8 Initiative in pediatric oncology
Alex s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF), a nonprofit foundation devoted to finding cures for all children with cancer, announces grant award recipients of their Crazy 8 Initiative. The recipients will receive grants totaling more than $18.5 million, which is the single, largest funding commitment from ALSF to date.
The Initiative kicked off in the Fall of 2018 with a meeting that brought together more than 90 scientists from around the world to help define the research landscape in eight key areas of need in order to tackle major obstacles impeding progress toward cures for childhood cancer. Through a rigorous review process, ALSF received over 100 letters of intent from researchers that resulted in 83 full grant applications which were ultimately narrowed down to four projects that will work to accelerate the pace of new cure discovery.