Biology of Childhood Acute Lymphoblastic Leukernia

Giant strides have been made in the management of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) over previous decades. Extensive collaborative efforts internationally have played a vital role in the remarkable progress made in not only improving therapeutic outcomes but also deciphering the complex biology of childhood ALL. This review summarizes various insights gained from biological studies of childhood ALL, with a focus on recent studies, and also discusses genomic lesions and epigenetic regulatory mechanisms associated with leukemic transformation. The importance of studying the biology of the host so as to understand additional heterogeneity in treatment response and toxicities is highlighted.