Improving Health and Duration of Remission in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia

A2002426

Current treatment for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is continually improving by targeting the signals within the cancer cell that allow it to divide and survive. However, it is crucial to investigate what happens during and after treatment to ensure that remission lasts as long as possible and to understand the effect of the treatment on the patient's immune system. Two of the largest CLL trials, FLAIR and STATIC, are currently being run by Leeds University and Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust, providing a fantastic opportunity to address these areas. Initially, DNA from patients on treatment and those who relapse will be sequenced to look at mutations in genes within the cancer cells that may play an important role in relapse. Additionally, the patients' B cells will be examined at a single-cell level to determine the effect of treatment on their normal immune responses. By looking at these two areas, researchers aim to better define a healthy remission and use this information to continue improving the treatment of CLL patients.

Lead Researcher	Dr Darren Newton
Co-Researchers	Dr Talha Munir Dr Andy Rawstron
Host Organisation	Oncology Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust University of Leeds
Grant Amount	£39,256
Start Date	11/01/2023
Estimated Duration	21 months
Impact Areas	Health Inequalities – Cancer Care
Tags/key notes	Early Career Researcher Cancer and neoplasms