Long-term health after leukemia in children with Down syndrome

Chronic Health Conditions in Survivors of Down Syndrome-Associated Leukemia

NIH-funded research Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11125753

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.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionBaylor College of Medicine NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Houston, United States)
Project IDNIH-11125753 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You or your child would help researchers by sharing medical records, health history, and taking part in cognitive testing and questionnaires about daily health. The team will compare how common and how severe chronic health conditions are in Down syndrome survivors of childhood leukemia versus peers with Down syndrome but no cancer history. They will also look at thinking skills like attention and processing speed to see if treatment added extra challenges. The goal is to fill gaps because this group has often been left out of past research.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Children and young adults with Down syndrome who were treated for acute leukemia in childhood, and their caregivers, who can share medical records and participate in testing or surveys are ideal candidates.

Not a fit: People without Down syndrome or individuals with Down syndrome who never had leukemia are unlikely to get direct benefits from findings specific to leukemia survivors.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the work could lead to better follow-up care plans and support for people with Down syndrome who survived childhood leukemia.

How similar studies have performed: Very few prior studies have addressed late effects in this group and only small case series have looked at neuropsychological outcomes, so this work is relatively novel.

Where this research is happening

Houston, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.