BCL2L12 improves risk stratification and prediction of BFM-chemotherapy response in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

What is it about?

In childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), patients’ risk stratification according to established disease markers represents the method-of-choice for the adjustment of treatment intensity and disease prognosis. Nonetheless, ~20% of the patients display resistance to chemotherapeutic agents and poor treatment outcome, while at the same time, overtreatment-related toxicity and mortality have not been effectively prevented. In the present study, we have analyzed, for the first time, the clinical value of the apoptosis-related gene BCL2L12 in BFM-treated childhood ALL. Patients with reduced BCL2L12 expression revealed to suffer from a significantly higher risk for disease early-relapse and worse survival. Finally, the evaluation of BCL2L12 expression improved the prognostic value of the established and clinically used disease markers.

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