Finding drugs for hard to treat forms of leukemia

Two recently identified types of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are extremely difficult to treat with existing drugs. Children who have Philadelphia chromosome-like ALL (Ph-like ALL) and early T-cell precursor ALL (ETP ALL) are more likely to face recurrence and less likely to survive long term. Researchers are trying to figure out why this is and are working to find treatments that will give children with these types of leukemia better outcomes – ones that are more on par with what can be achieved for children with other types of ALL. The overall survival rate for ALL is currently more than 85%. But, for children with Ph-like ALL, the 5-year survival rate is closer to 60%. Read more here.