Childhood Cancer

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Nitrosative Stress And Symptom Severity During Childhood Leukemia Treatment

Institution: 
Duke University Medical Center
Researcher(s): 
Marilyn Hockenberry, RN, PhD
Grant Type: 
Nurse Researcher Grants
Year Awarded: 
2013
Type of Childhood Cancer: 
Leukemia
Project Description: 

Background
An exploration of 'why' individual symptom differences occur is critical to understanding symptom experiences during childhood leukemia treatment; this will allow us to identify who may be most susceptible to treatment toxicities. This project explores why symptoms experienced in children with leukemia exhibit extreme variations in toxicity.

Project Goal
We hope to increase our understanding of the influence nitrosative stress and their genetic modulators have on treatment-related symptom associations. Identifying alterations in specific biochemical pathways and genetic modulators of childhood cancer treatment-related toxicity could lead to individualized, genome-based therapy that avoids adverse clinical outcomes in the future. Personalized therapy for a highly curable disease such as childhood leukemia that is based on integration of molecular and biochemical tools into clinical practice is within our reach. Toxicity-titrated treatment plans are currently being investigated for childhood leukemia.  Exploration of genetic variations and their influence on therapeutic toxicities will pave the way for future pharmacogenetic-based individualization of treatment.

Co-funded by: 
Northwestern Mutual Foundation