grants

Perinatal immune development and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Ma, XiaomeiWiemels, Joseph Leo

Summary

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common type of cancer in children (age 0-14 years), but the causes of the disease are largely unknown. In this research project, we will study 500 children with ALL, 500 children without ALL, and the mothers of the 1000 children to assess whether mother's immune status during pregnancy and the genetic characteristics of the mother and her child affect the child's immune status at birth and the risk of developing ALL later in life (up until 14 years of age). Results of this study will help us better understand how immune development might be related to childhood ALL.

Down Syndrome Publications