Background
High-risk B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) frequently recurs after initial treatment and is a lethal disease. "Ikaros" is a cancer fighting protein that prevents leukemia from developing. In children who are diagnosed with high-risk B-ALL, the activity of Ikaros in leukemia cells has been impaired by another protein called CK2. By using a novel medicine that can block the effects of CK2, our laboratory has found that we can restore the cancer fighting ability of Ikaros and kill leukemia cells.
