Using short-term diet and activity changes to help children with B‑cell leukemia respond better to treatment
Official title: Targeting obesity to improve survival from childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Funded at Children's Hospital of Los Angeles · NIH-10926882 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A program of calorie, fat, and sugar restriction plus physical activity during initial chemotherapy aims to help children with B‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia respond better to induction treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Children's Hospital of Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 14, 2021 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $312,066 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA252236-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-10926882 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are children newly diagnosed with B‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia—particularly those with obesity—who are beginning induction chemotherapy and can follow a supervised short-term dietary and activity program.
✕Less likely to help
Children without B‑ALL, those with medical conditions that make dietary or activity changes unsafe, or those unable to participate in supervised lifestyle changes are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
This project combines clinical and laboratory work to use short-term calorie, fat, and glucose restriction (CFGR) together with increased physical activity during induction chemotherapy for pediatric B‑cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‑ALL). Early-phase work showed CFGR can be integrated into induction regimens and may reduce minimal residual disease at the end of induction. Laboratory studies focus on insulin and adiponectin signaling (including AKT pathways) to understand why obese physiology makes leukemia cells resistant to chemotherapy and how that resistance can be reversed. The grant supports translating those mechanistic findings into approaches that could be offered to children undergoing initial leukemia treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could improve early chemotherapy response and reduce relapse risk, potentially improving survival for children with B‑ALL, especially those with obesity at diagnosis.
How similar studies have gone: A recent Phase I trial provided proof-of-principle and showed a roughly 71% reduction in end-of-induction minimal residual disease with CFGR, so the approach has promising early clinical evidence but needs further testing.
Where this research is happening
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Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Orgel, Etan — Children's Hospital of Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Orgel, Etan
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Targeting obesity to improve survival for children with ALL
A new approach explores whether reducing obesity-related factors can make chemotherapy work better for kids with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
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Improving survival in children with leukemia by addressing obesity
This study is looking at how being overweight might impact the success of leukemia treatment in kids and is testing a special diet and exercise plan to help improve their chances of recovery and reduce the risk of the cancer coming back.
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Caregiver-led mobile tool to support healthy habits for kids treated for ALL
A caregiver-directed mobile program helps children who were treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia build healthier daily routines.
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Genomics of childhood ALL across global populations
A wide-ranging study looks at how inherited genetics influence the risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia around the world.
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Genomics of childhood ALL across diverse populations
A large international study will look at why children everywhere get acute lymphoblastic leukemia and how genetics may influence risk.
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Combinatorial targeting for high-risk B-cell ALL treatment
A research effort at West Virginia University is exploring a combination therapy for adult B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia using targeted gene silencing and a small-molecule compound to improve treatment in patients.
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.