New developments in acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) occurs in both children and adults. Significant improvements in survival outcomes have been realized over the last decade for all age groups with de novo ALL. Frontline treatment incorporates a tailored approach, based on factors such as the patient’s age and the disease subtype. Children, adolescents, and young adults are likely to receive intensifying or deintensifying chemotherapy regimens using standard chemotherapeutics (eg, anthracyclines, vincristine, asparaginase) based on risk stratification. Older adults appear to benefit from reduced-intensity chemotherapy regimens, which incorporate targeted therapy (eg, monoclonal antibodies). New data suggest that a more intensive pediatric protocol might be feasible in adult patients. More than half of ALL patients relapse, and their limited survival has led to the development of novel approaches. Recently approved chemotherapeutic agents include clofarabine, nelarabine, asparaginase Erwinia chrysanthemi, and vincristine sulfate liposome injection, a novel formulation that permits administration of a higher dosage of vincristine than that used in standard regimens. Approaches under investigation include cell therapy using autologous T-cell technologies, antibody-drug conjugates, and agents targeting common gene mutations. Many novel agents are undergoing evaluation in both the frontline and relapsed settings.