According to a new trial, patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia show comparable outcomes whether they receive a single-agent treatment indefinitely or a combination treatment for a fixed period of time.

In a new trial, patients with B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) who had no evidence of remaining cancer cells after prior treatment, experienced comparable outcomes whether they received chemotherapy-based conditioning or total body irradiation (TBI), the standard conditioning regimen used before hematopoietic cell transplantation. The findings could allow more patients to avoid TBI and its associated long-term side effects.

Nearly a third of families with children receiving chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) – the most common pediatric cancer – develop serious financial difficulties during their child’s treatment, including losing 25% or more of their household income and struggling to cover the costs of basic living expenses such as housing, food, and utilities.