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Symptomatic methotrexate-related central neurotoxicity (MTX neurotoxicity) is a severe toxicity experienced during acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) therapy with potential long-term neurologic complications. Risk factors and long-term outcomes require further study.

Age-based pegaspargase dosing is safe and achieves therapeutic levels in infants with ALL: report from COG AALL15P1

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

Defining the fetal origin of MLL-AF4 infant leukemia highlights specific fatty acid requirements

Infant MLL-AF4-driven acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a devastating disease with dismal prognosis. A lack of understanding of the unique biology of this disease, particularly its prenatal origin, has hindered improvement of survival. We perform multiple RNA sequencing experiments on fetal, neonatal, and adult hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells from human and mouse.

The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers share in State Government science grants

Four The Kids Research Institute Australia researchers are among those who have received funding in the WA State Government's Merit Award Program announced today.

Drug find could represent big win for our little patients

Dr Rishi Kotecha knows too well the devastation of a leukaemia diagnosis in a child, treating children as a consultant at Princess Margaret Hospital.

Invasive fungal disease in children with acute myeloid leukaemia: An Australian multicentre 10-year review

Invasive fungal disease (IFD) is a common and important complication in children with acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). We describe the epidemiology of IFD in a large multicentre cohort of children with AML.

Exploiting the reactive oxygen species imbalance in high-risk paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia through auranofin

The prognosis for high-risk childhood acute leukaemias remains dismal and established treatment protocols often cause long-term side effects in survivors. This study aims to identify more effective and safer therapeutics for these patients.

Are outcomes for childhood leukaemia in Australia influenced by geographical remoteness and Indigenous race?

Presenting features, biology and outcome for childhood leukaemia are known to vary by ethnic origin, geographic location and socioeconomic group. This study aimed to compare presentation patterns, follow-up and clinical outcomes in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children with acute leukaemia in Australia, and to assess the impact of remoteness and area-based socioeconomic disadvantage on outcome.

RUNX2 regulates leukemic cell metabolism and chemotaxis in high-risk T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with inferior outcome compared with that of B cell ALL. Here, we show that Runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2) was upregulated in high-risk T-ALL with KMT2A rearrangements (KMT2A-R) or an immature immunophenotype. In KMT2A-R cells, we identified RUNX2 as a direct target of the KMT2A chimeras, where it reciprocally bound the KMT2A promoter, establishing a regulatory feed-forward mechanism.

Genome-wide association meta-analysis of single-nucleotide polymorphisms and symptomatic venous thromboembolism during therapy for ALL and lymphoma in caucasian children

The largest GWAS meta-analysis conducted to date associating SNPs to venous thromboembolism in children and adolescents treated on childhood ALL protocols