Mutant genes found in childhood leukemias

MEMPHIS, May 20 (UPI) -- U.S. medical scientists say they have identified mutant genes involved in high-risk childhood leukemias, possibly leading to a new therapeutic target.

Researchers said they pinpointed a new class of gene mutations that identify cases of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia that have a high risk of relapse and death. The scientists said their finding suggests specific drugs that could treat the high-risk leukemia subtype in children, particularly because such drugs are already in clinical trials for similar blood diseases in adults.

Discovery of the mutations was led by scientists from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, the Children's Oncology Group, the University of New Mexico and the National Cancer Institute.

"We have made such great progress in curing children with ALL that the main challenge is now the remaining high-risk patients," St. Jude Scientific Director Dr. James Downing said. "We still do not know how to accurately identify these patients and effectively treat them to provide the highest chance for a cure. The problem is that this high-risk group is likely a heterogeneous mixture of biologic subtypes."

The study is detailed in the early online edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.