Bottom Line: Weekend admission to the hospital for pediatric patients newly diagnosed with leukemia was associated with a longer length of stay, slightly longer wait to start chemotherapy and higher risk for respiratory failure.
Drug Used for DNA Repair Defects Could Treat Leukemia and Other Cancers: Study
A team of scientists have found that a drug originally designed for killing a limited type of cancer cells with DNA repair defects could potentially be used to treat leukaemia and other cancers.
A team of scientists have found that a drug originally designed for killing a limited type of cancer cells with DNA repair defects could potentially be used to treat leukaemia and other cancers.
Background: Leukemia is a common childhood cancer that accounts for about 30 percent of all pediatric cancer diagnoses. Previous research has indicated an increased risk of death in adults with leukemia whose first admission was on a weekend. But there has been little investigation of weekend admissions for pediatric leukemia patients.
How the Study Was Conducted: The authors examined adverse clinical outcomes associated with a weekend admission for the first hospitalization of pediatric patients newly diagnosed with leukemia. The study from 1999 to 2011 used data from the Pediatric Health Information System database. Participants were children newly diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Natural Killer Cells Battle Pediatric Leukemia: Study
At Children's Hospital Los Angeles, researchers have shown that a select team of immune-system cells from patients with leukemia can be multiplied in the lab, creating an army of natural killer cells that can be used to destroy the cancer cells.
At Children's Hospital Los Angeles, researchers have shown that a select team of immune-system cells from patients with leukemia can be multiplied in the lab, creating an army of natural killer cells that can be used to destroy the cancer cells.
Discussion: "Given the increasing need for cost-effective care in medically complex children, these findings highlight a potential area for improvement in patient care and in cost reduction. Hospitals should consider the increased acuity level of index admissions of pediatric patients with leukemia when determining allocation of weekend staff and clinical resources. Optimizing weekend resources may not only help to reduce hospital LOS (length of stay) across all weekend admissions but may also ensure the availability of comprehensive care for those weekend admissions with higher acuity."
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Leukemia Drug Could be Used for Treatment of Some Other Cancers too
Dasatinib, a leukemia drug, shows promise for treating breast, skin and other cancers also, suggest researchers at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
Dasatinib, a leukemia drug, shows promise for treating breast, skin and other cancers also, suggest researchers at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine.
Editor's Note: An author made a conflict of interest disclosure. This study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health and by grant sponsor Hematologic Research Malignancies Fund at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Please see article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, etc.
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New Insights into Leukemia
Mutations in genes that lead to childhood leukemia of the acute lymphoblastic type have been discovered by Queen Mary University of London scientists.
Mutations in genes that lead to childhood leukemia of the acute lymphoblastic type have been discovered by Queen Mary University of London scientists.
In a related editorial, Patrick J. Hagan, M.H.S.A., an independent consultant and former president and chief operating officer of the Seattle Children's Hospital, writes: "In this issue of JAMA Pediatrics, Goodman and colleagues have provided a good service for patients, clinicians and hospital leaders by demonstrating a statistically significant difference in hospital performance for patients admitted on weekends vs. weekdays."
"The authors noted that for index leukemia cases, a higher proportion of higher-acuity patients can be expected on weekends. They suggest that changes in staffing levels and staff skill mix in anticipation of this higher-acuity patient may prove beneficial," Hagan notes.
(JAMA Pediatr. Published online August 25, 2014. doi:10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.1531. Available pre-embargo to the media at http://media.jamanetwork.com.)
Editor's Note: Please see article for additional information, including other authors, author contributions and affiliations, etc.
Source-Eurekalert
