Challenging "privileged" stereotypes - leukemic blasts and the central nervous system

The successful cure of over 90% of children with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) is one of the most impressive achievements of the last 50 years in haematology. However, challenges remain. One particularly problematic area is how best to prevent and/or treat leukaemic relapse in the central nervous system (CNS). Early studies established that CNS-directed therapy is essential for cure. Accordingly, all modern ALL treatment protocols include large amounts of CNS-directed chemotherapy irrespective of the presence or absence of detectable CNS disease at presentation.
Source: Leukemia Research - Category: Hematology Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research