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Research

Preclinical Assessment of Dactinomycin in KMT2A-Rearranged Infant Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Infants with KMT2A-rearranged B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have high rates of relapse and poor survival compared with children. Few new therapies have been identified over the past twenty years. The aim of this study was to identify existing anti-cancer agents that have the potential to be repurposed for the treatment of infant ALL.

Research

Polyamine depletion limits progression of acute leukaemia

Cancer cells are addicted to polyamines, polycations essential for cellular function. While dual targeting of cellular polyamine biosynthesis and polyamine uptake is under clinical investigation in solid cancers, preclinical and clinical studies into its potential in haematological malignancies are lacking. Here we investigated the preclinical efficacy of polyamine depletion in acute leukaemia.

Research

Antifungal use in children with acute leukaemia: state of current evidence and directions for future research

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) remains a common and serious complication in children treated for leukaemia. Antifungal prescription in children with leukaemia presents unique challenges, particularly due to variation in IFD risk between and within leukaemia treatment protocols, drug toxicities and interactions between antifungals and chemotherapeutic agents.

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Systematic In Vitro Evaluation of a Library of Approved and Pharmacologically Active Compounds for the Identification of Novel Candidate Drugs for KMT2A-Rearranged Leukemia

Patients whose leukemias harbor a rearrangement of the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL/KMT2A) gene have a poor prognosis, especially when the disease strikes in infants. The poor clinical outcome linked to this aggressive disease and the detrimental treatment side-effects, particularly in children, warrant the urgent development of more effective and cancer-selective therapeutics.

Research

Successful treatment of a child with acute monoblastic leukaemia who relapsed with T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia: A rare lineage switch

Rishi S. Kotecha MB ChB (Hons) MRCPCH FRACP PhD Co-Head, Leukaemia Translational Research rishi.kotecha@health.wa.gov.au Co-Head, Leukaemia

Research

Updates in infant acute lymphoblastic leukemia and the potential for targeted therapy

Outcomes for infants diagnosed under 1 year of age with KMT2A-rearranged acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) have remained stagnant over the past 20 years. Successive treatment protocols have previously focused on intensification of conventional chemotherapy, but increased treatment-related toxicity and chemoresistance have led to a plateau in survival.

Research

Constitutive Activation of RAS/MAPK Pathway Cooperates with Trisomy 21 and Is Therapeutically Exploitable in Down Syndrome B-cell Leukemia

Children with Down syndrome (constitutive trisomy 21) that develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia (DS-ALL) have a 3-fold increased likelihood of treatment-related mortality coupled with a higher cumulative incidence of relapse, compared with other children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL).

Research

Targeting DYRK1A: a key player in Down syndrome Leukaemogenesis

Sébastien Malinge PhD Laboratory Head, Translational Genomics in Leukaemia, Ursula Kees Fellow (CCRF), Cancer Council WA Fellow (CCWA), Senior

Research

Therapeutic opportunities from dissecting the pre-B leukaemia bone marrow microenvironment

Laurence Rishi S. Sébastien Cheung Kotecha Malinge BPharm (Hons) MBA PhD MB ChB (Hons) MRCPCH FRACP PhD PhD Co-Head, Leukaemia Translational Research

Research

Comparative drug screening in NUT midline carcinoma

The NUT midline carcinoma (NMC) is a rare but fatal cancer for which systematic testing of therapy options has never been performed.