Current Research

Research for AML is ongoing. The following advances may still be under investigation in clinical trials and may not be approved or available at this time. Always discuss all diagnostic and treatment options with your child’s doctor.

Genetic testing. Molecular genetic signatures of leukemia cells are being tested to see if they can better define groups of patients who may require more or less intense treatment. These discoveries help doctors better understand the causes of leukemia, help establish a prognosis for each child, and help in the development of new drugs that target these specific genetic mutations.

Better detection. Minimal residual disease (cancer cells not killed by treatment) is being measured using sensitive techniques to detect one leukemic cell in 10,000 normal cells to determine the likelihood of recurrence. In the future, changes made to chemotherapy treatments and/or the use of stem cell transplantation may be partly based on these new types of tests.

New drugs and combinations of drugs. New types of drugs, called targeted therapy, target faulty genes or proteins that contribute to cancer growth and development. Gemtuzumab (Mylotarg) is an antibody that specifically targets AML blasts. It is being tested in combination with chemotherapy for children with newly diagnosed AML. Other new drugs that may be used for AML are being tested in clinical trials or are in development in research laboratories around the world.