ASH 2021: Understanding the Crosstalk between Acute Leukemia and Down Syndrome for Designing Better Therapies
Down syndrome (DS), characterized by an extra copy of chromosome 21, is a developmental disorder. Children born with DS have an irregular immune system, protecting them from certain diseases such as solid tumors, while increasing their risk of others, like leukemia. For patients with DS when diagnosed with leukemia, the compromised immune system also necessitates revision of anti-cancer regimens and supportive care, compared to other leukemia patients.
At the 63rd annual meeting of the American Society of Hematology, clinicians shared the latest clinical data and their experiences of treating children with Down Syndrome and leukemia. In a 15 minute session, three speakers presented the executive summaries of their latest work and responded to questions from the audience.