Over the last 20 years marked improvements in survival from childhood cancer have been achieved, at least in part by significant increases in the dose intensity of chemotherapy administered. While this has improved survival from the primary malignancy, increases in dose intensity have been associated with a marked increase in the frequency of therapy-related acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplasia (t-MDS/AML), with frequencies as high as 22% in a Children's Cancer Group (CCG) treatment protocol for children with Ewing's sarcoma. The applicant hypothesizes that it is possible to identify genetic markers of alkylator damage to predict risk of t-MDS/AML in children receiving high dose-alkylating agent chemotherapy for sarcoma. Additionally, she hypothesizes that host genetic polymorphisms in drug metabolizing enzymes will influence genetic susceptibility to t-MDS/AML and could be used in the future to guide therapy. In this study she will investigate markers of genetic susceptibility and increased risk of t-MDS/AML in 321 children enrolled on CCG sarcoma treatment protocols. She will ask whether genetic susceptibility to alkylating agent damage can be measured prospectively (using analysis of glutathione-S-transferase genotype and glycophorin A mutation frequency). She will look for early signs of development of myeloid malignancy (clonal hematopoiesis), and for acquisition of later genetic events associated with myeloid malignancy (presence of ras gene mutations in peripheral blood leukocytes) in patients who have completed intensive chemotherapy. The identification of markers of genetic susceptibility to t-MDS/AML will allow future modification of therapy for individual patients. The identification of markers of early progression to t-MDS/AML during or after therapy will also allow modification of therapy and/or the development of treatment with chemopreventive agents such as retinoids.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Cancer Institute (NCI)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
7R01CA076326-06
Application #
6696697
Study Section
Experimental Therapeutics Subcommittee 1 (ET)
Project Start
1998-05-01
Project End
2004-01-31
Budget Start
2003-02-28
Budget End
2004-01-31
Support Year
6
Fiscal Year
2002
Total Cost
$125,719
Indirect Cost
Name
Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Department
Type
DUNS #
071284913
City
Cincinnati
State
OH
Country
United States
Zip Code
45229
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Ross, J A; Davies, S M (2000) Vitamin K prophylaxis and childhood cancer. Med Pediatr Oncol 34:434-7