Increased incidence of IKZF1 <\/em>deletion and IGH-CRLF2 <\/em>translocation seen in Hispanic\/Latino children with B-ALL <\/p>\n<\/h3>\n <\/b><\/p>\n <\/b><\/p>\n FRIDAY, Feb. 19, 2021 (HealthDay News) — Hispanic\/Latino (H\/L) children with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL) have an increased incidence of IKZF1<\/em> deletion and IGH-CRLF2<\/em> translocation, according to a letter to the editor published online Feb. 2 in Leukemia<\/em>.<\/p>\n Gordana Raca, M.D., Ph.D., from the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, and colleagues analyzed clinical and molecular data from 239 pediatric B-ALL patients (164 self-reported as H\/L and 75 classified as non-H\/L) treated between March 2016 and July 2019 to examine the biological basis underlying the health disparity in H\/L children with B-ALL.<\/p>\n The researchers found that compared with the non-H\/L population, the H\/L population had a significantly higher incidence of IKZF1<\/em> deletion (29 versus 15 percent). In the H\/L versus non-H\/L population, the concomitant IKZF1<\/em> deletion with CRLF2<\/em> translocation was strongly increased (12 versus 0 percent). A strong bias was seen in the association of IKZF1<\/em> deletion with specific CRLF2<\/em> translocation: In patients with IKZF1<\/em> deletion, the IGH-CRLF2<\/em> translocation was increased ninefold versus the P2RY8-CRLF2<\/em> fusion (18\/164 versus two\/164). In the H\/L versus the non-H\/L population, IKZF1<\/em> deletion concomitant with IGH-CRLF2<\/em> translocation was strongly increased (11 versus 0 percent).<\/p>\n “These mutations offer an explanation for the poor prognosis and increased incidence of B-ALL in Hispanic and Latino children and offer us insight into this pediatric cancer health disparity,” a coauthor said in a statement. “Sequencing these genes in Hispanic and Latino children with B-ALL is essential to help pediatric oncologists determine a prognosis for these patients and develop appropriate treatment plans.”<\/p>\n