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Dr Laurence Cheung is doing everything he can to end the threat of childhood leukemia. His research has the potential to change countless lives, but he also has another important job – being a dad to three beautiful children.
Rishi S. Laurence Sébastien Kotecha Cheung Malinge MB ChB (Hons) MRCPCH FRACP PhD BPharm (Hons) MBA PhD PhD Co-Head, Leukaemia Translational Research
Sébastien Malinge PhD Laboratory Head, Translational Genomics in Leukaemia, Senior Research Fellow (University of Western Australia), Adjunct Senior
Laurence Rishi S. Sébastien Cheung Kotecha Malinge BPharm (Hons) MBA PhD MB ChB (Hons) MRCPCH FRACP PhD PhD Co-Head, Leukaemia Translational Research
Osteoclasts are important regulators of bone remodeling, with an established role in maintaining skeletal homeostasis. The emergence of osteoimmunology has identified osteoclasts as key players in the immune system. In particular, osteoclasts can initiate bi-directional crosstalk mechanisms with hematopoietic stem cells and various immune cells, such as T cells, B cells and NK cells, to influence hematopoiesis and inflammatory response.
Preemptive pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing in pediatric oncology patients could reduce toxicity and improve efficacy of medications yet remains underutilized. Consumer identified implementation barriers have not been extensively explored nor included adolescent or young adult (AYA) patient perspectives. This study describes Australian pediatric oncology consumer perspectives on PGx testing, elucidating barriers to implementation.
Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at a significantly higher risk of developing acute myeloid leukemia, also termed myeloid leukemia associated with DS (ML-DS). In contrast to the highly favorable prognosis of primary ML-DS, the limited data that are available for children who relapse or who have refractory ML-DS (r/r ML-DS) suggest a dismal prognosis. There are few clinical trials and no standardized treatment approach for this population.
KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants is an aggressive disease with 3-year event-free survival below 40%. Most relapses occur during treatment, with two thirds occurring within 1 year and 90% within 2 years after diagnosis. Outcomes have not improved in recent decades despite intensification of chemotherapy.
Components of the bone marrow microenvironment (BMM) have been shown to mediate the way in which leukemia develops, progresses and responds to treatment. Increasing evidence shows that leukemic cells hijack the BMM, altering its functioning and establishing leukemia-supportive interactions with stromal and immune cells.
Invasive fungal disease (IFD) remains a challenging complication of treatment for paediatric acute leukaemia. Consensus fungal treatment guidelines recommend withholding chemotherapy to facilitate immune recovery in this setting, yet prolonged delays in leukaemia therapy increase risk of relapse.