Long-term health after leukemia in children with Down syndrome
Official title: Chronic Health Conditions in Survivors of Down Syndrome-Associated Leukemia
Funded at Baylor College of Medicine · NIH-11125753 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 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 | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $676,350 |
| NIH project number | 5R01CA263000-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11125753 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
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.
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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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Chronic health problems in children with Down syndrome who survived leukemia
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.
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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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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.