The 5-year survival rate of paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) currently exceeds 90%. Based on clinical, morphological and genetic characteristics patients are stratified at diagnosis to receive risk-adapted combination chemotherapy to maximise the likelihood of cure while minimising the toxic side-effects of their treatment. However, several high-risk ALL subtypes require novel approaches to improve treatment outcomes. One high-risk subtype of ALL, known as Ph-like (or BCR-ABL1-like) ALL, is associated with increased risk of relapse and poor outcome, highlighting the need for improved treatment strategies. We aim, through rationally designed combination therapy, to re-sensitise these relapse-initiating cells to targeted therapy by altering their gene expression or epigenomic profiles.
Started: 1 April 2019
Ending: 31 March 2021
