Biomarkers and Therapeutic Strategies in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Chemotherapy remains as the major treatment for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. There has been significant improvement in outcome from multiple rounds of highly intensive chemotherapy but this comes with the detriment of developing resistance and toxicity that could be fatal. While newer therapies such as monoclonal antibodies have been developed, the effectiveness of these new therapies is considerably enhanced when used in combination with chemotherapy. Thus, interest in chemotherapy remains. The most commonly used chemotherapy regimens for acute lymphoblastic leukemia include varying combinations of vincristine, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, cytarabine, etoposide, 6-mercaptopurine, methotrexate and L-asparaginase. Some drug combinations are effective in certain patients but have no clinical benefit to others, and their non-specific effects make them intolerable to many. Thus, unnecessary toxicity- and resistance-induced patient suffering or mortality occurs frequently, and relapsed and refractory acute lymphoblastic leukemia continue to be a major concern. An increasing number of resistance biomarkers for acute lymphoblastic leukemia drugs have been identified, giving rise to new understanding of the molecular mechanisms through which resistance develops. Identification of these biomarkers and elucidation of resistance mechanisms could ultimately lead to new and more effective therapeutic strategies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

The goal of this Research Topic is to give an overview of the current knowledge and recent advances on biomarkers and therapeutic strategies for acute lymphoblastic leukemia. We encourage original research reports and articles, methods and review articles that present or discuss novel ideas or studies and their implications in treating and managing acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

Topics may include:
- Biomarkers for the acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- Resistance biomarkers for the acute lymphoblastic leukemia chemotherapeutic drugs such as vincristine, prednisone, cyclophosphamide, daunorubicin, cytarabine, etoposide, 6-mercaptopurine and methotrexate
- Prognostic markers for acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- Molecular mechanisms of resistance to chemotherapy drugs
- Apoptosis in acute lymphoblastic leukemia
- Methods and techniques for sensitizing or killing of acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells

Topic Editor Dr Scotti Editor is a co-founder of Ardis s.r.l. There are no other conflicts of interest to declare.