Chronic health problems in children with Down syndrome who survived leukemia
Official title: Chronic Health Conditions in Survivors of Down Syndrome-Associated Leukemia
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11389546 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project looks at long-term health issues in kids with Down syndrome who have survived leukemia to understand what problems they may face later on.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Baylor College of Medicine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Houston, United States) |
| Project start | June 20, 2022 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $846,602 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA263000-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11389546 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children with Down syndrome who have survived leukemia and are in the post-treatment follow-up period.
✕Less likely to help
Children with Down syndrome who have not had leukemia or are past the typical follow-up window may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
Children with Down syndrome who have survived acute leukemia may experience a range of lasting health problems after cancer treatment. The study will collect and review medical records and follow-up information to describe how common late effects are and how severe they can be, with attention to conditions like thyroid disease, bone health, seizures, and neurocognitive outcomes. Researchers aim to compare these late effects to those seen in Down syndrome patients without a cancer history. The work will help families and clinicians anticipate care needs and plan follow-up strategies tailored to this group. Participation would involve sharing medical history and ongoing health information over time.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Findings could guide long-term care plans and monitoring for children with DS who survived leukemia, potentially improving quality of life and health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: There is limited prior research on late effects in DS-AL survivors, making this largely exploratory but grounded in known risks of both DS and leukemia treatments.
Where this research is happening
-
Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gramatges, Maria Monica — Baylor College of Medicine
- Study coordinator: Gramatges, Maria Monica
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Enhancing treatments for myeloid leukemia with Down syndrome
This grant explores how bone marrow support cells affect treatment response in children with Down syndrome–related leukemia and aims to improve chemotherapy effectiveness.
-
Preventing fatal infections in children with Down syndrome during ALL treatment
Aimed at reducing deadly infections in children with Down syndrome undergoing chemotherapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia by finding biomarkers to tailor treatment and supportive care.
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Better treatments for myeloid leukemia in children with Down syndrome
This project looks at how bone marrow blood-vessel cells influence why chemotherapy works so well for children with Down syndrome who develop myeloid leukemia.
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Long-term health after leukemia in children with Down syndrome
This project looks at ongoing medical and thinking problems in children with Down syndrome who had acute leukemia compared with children with Down syndrome who never had cancer.
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Preventing deadly infections in children with Down syndrome during leukemia treatment
This project looks for blood markers that can identify children with Down syndrome and acute lymphoblastic leukemia who are at high risk for life-threatening infections so doctors can offer extra protection early.
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Investigating the link between Down syndrome and acute lymphoblastic leukemia in children
This study is looking into why kids with Down syndrome are more likely to get a type of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia, and it hopes to find out how their genes play a role in this so that we can help keep them healthier.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.