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Biological Markers for Leukemia Treatment Side Effects

Treatment duration and individual susceptibility to oxidative stress likely contribute to the development of negative side effects in children undergoing treatment for leukemia.

Summary: While acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most prevalent and curable cancer in children, the treatment required for long-term cure has contributed to negative neurologic outcomes, including declines in academic abilities. In order to understand when and how the negative side effects of ALL treatment occur, a research team examined changes in oxidative stress in a group of children undergoing treatment for ALL. Findings suggest that there are biological markers that may identify both the susceptibility to and the process of developing negative side effects of ALL treatments. These findings may inform future therapeutic approaches for optimizing cure and quality of life among children with leukemia.

Hockenberry MJ, Taylor OA, Gundy PM, Ross AK, Pasvogel A, Montgomery D, Ribbeck P, McCarthy K, Moore I. F2-Isoprostanes: A Measure of Oxidative Stress in Children Receiving Treatment for Leukemia. Biol Res Nurs. 2013 Aug 15;16(3):303-309. PMID: 23956352