International Clinical Trial Findings Pave the Way for Enhanced Childhood Leukemia Survival
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New York, Dec 8 (NationPress) A worldwide clinical trial, co-led by an Indian-origin researcher, has demonstrated improved survival rates for common childhood leukemia, as revealed by a recent study.
B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) is recognized as the most prevalent cancer affecting children.
A clinical trial from the Children’s Oncology Group, spearheaded by researchers at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) and Seattle Children’s Hospital, has yielded promising outcomes. The trial encompassed over 200 locations across four nations.
The results, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, indicated a remarkable 61% reduction in the risk of B-ALL relapse or mortality for participants who received a combination of chemotherapy and blinatumomab (a form of immunotherapy used for children with relapsed B-ALL).
“These groundbreaking findings showcasing a significant enhancement in disease-free survival are poised to offer tremendous clinical advantages to nearly all children diagnosed with B-ALL,” stated study co-lead Dr. Sumit Gupta, an Oncologist and Associate Scientist in the Child Health Evaluative Sciences program at SickKids.
“This is transforming the standard of care for children with B-ALL globally,” Gupta added.
Unlike traditional chemotherapy, immunotherapies such as blinatumomab leverage the body’s innate immune system to combat cancer by training it to target malignant cells.
For children categorized as having an average risk of relapse, the research indicated that after three years, the disease-free survival rate rose to 97.5%, compared to 90% with chemotherapy alone.
For those at a higher risk of relapse, the incorporation of blinatumomab along with chemotherapy elevated the disease-free survival rate from 85% to over 94%.
“These results highlight the advancements achieved with blinatumomab in preventing relapse and endorse its role as a vital addition to contemporary therapeutic approaches,” remarked study co-lead Dr. Rachel Rau, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist at Seattle Children's Hospital.
The study involved 1,440 children from Canada, the US, Australia, and New Zealand.
“This novel combination treatment is anticipated to establish the new standard of care for these patients, potentially saving numerous lives and alleviating the anxiety and health consequences related to relapse,” stated Gupta, who is also an Associate Professor at the University of Toronto.
