Maloney KW & Gore L. Pediatr Drugs 2017. doi:10.1007/s40272-017-0268-7

The authors review the most important findings regarding genetic susceptibility to childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), specifically the major subtype B-cell precursor ALL, and point to new findings with important implications. Gutierrez-Camino A et al. Med Oncol 2017; 34: 179. doi:10.1007/s12032-017-1038-7

Völler G, Pichlmeier U, Zens A & Hempel G. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2017. doi:10.1007/s00280-017-3492-5

Spiekermann provides a detailed overview of the treatment recommendations for adult acute lymphoblastic leukemia developed by the European Working Group for ALL. In: Handbook of Acute Leukemia. Edited by Hiddemann W. Springer International Publishing, 2016. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-26772-2_7

Plesa M et al. Pharmacogenomics J 2017; doi:10.1038/s41397-017-0002-4

This article reports an integrated genomic analysis of young subjects with T-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia that identifies previously unrecognized mutation targets and modalities of mutation. Nat Gen 2017; 49: 1211–1218. doi:10.1038/ng.3909

Gupta S et al. Leukemia 2017; doi:10.1038/leu.2017.341

Jones et al. review results from >50 novel agents and combinations tested against the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program to better determine which agents/combinations are likely to be ineffective in different pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia subpopulations. Jones L et al. Leukemia 2016; 30: 2133–2141. doi:10.1038/leu.2016.192

A review of the results of novel agents tested in the Pediatric Preclinical Testing Program (PPTP) against acute lymphoblastic leukemia to highlight comparisons between PPTP results and clinical data. Leukemia  2016; 30: 2133–2141. doi:10.1038/leu.2016.192

This original research paper describes the international incidence of acute lymphoblastic leukemia and suggests that while relative survival rates are near 90% in children survival remains poor in adults. Katz AJ et al. Cancer Causes Control 2015; 26: 1627–1642. doi:10.1007/s10552-015-0657-6

Bailey et al. highlight the etiological risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia observed from retrospective analysis of home paint exposure in the time leading up to conception, during pregnancy, or after the child’s birth. Bailey HD et al. Cancer Causes Control 2015; 26: 1257–1270. doi:10.1007/s10552-015-0618-0

Whitehead et al. provide evidence to challenge to hypothesis that high levels of metals in carpet dust are risk factors for the occurrence of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Whitehead TP et al. Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology 2015; 25: 593–598. doi:10.1038/jes.2015.9

Data from this genome-wide association performed by Vijayakrishnan et al. highlights high-risk loci associated with heritability of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Vijayakrishnan J et al. Leukemia 2017; 31: 573–579. doi:10.1038/leu.2016.271

Krajinovic et al. investigate the utility of ABCC5 and NOS3 as biomarkers of anthracycline-induced cardiotoxicity in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Krajinovic M et al. Pharmacogenomics J  2016; 16: 530–535. doi:10.1038/tpj.2015.63

Jenkinson et al. analyze the frequency of PTEN gene variations in pediatric T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients to determine whether a correlation exists between genetic abnormalities at this loci and short-to-long term therapeutic responses. Jenkinson S et al. Leukemia 2016; 30: 39–47. doi:10.1038/leu.2015.206