Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Epidemiology and Clinical Research, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA. joh02745@umn.edu
The 5-year survival rates for childhood ALL are approaching 80%, but therapy-related toxicities are common. One of the challenges in this population is determining the most efficacious therapeutic regimens for these individuals. Factors such as drug metabolism, genetics, and concomitant disease affect drug efficacy and may be important in determining therapeutic outcomes in these patients. This review will focus on these factors in the treatment of childhood ALL. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.