Understanding what causes relapse in people with AML
In this project, Professor Bonet wants to understand more about the cell that she thinks is responsible for AML returning.
The challenge
Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) is an aggressive form of blood cancer that remains very difficult to treat with many people seeing their disease return after initial treatment. We urgently need to find new ways to treat this type of blood cancer to improve survival for people with the disease.
The project
It’s thought that there is a unique type of cell called the “leukaemia stem cell” that is responsible for AML returning after initial treatment. Professor Bonet and her team think there are other cells that might protect these leukaemia stem cells from treatment, and she wants to understand this further.
The future
The hope is that this project may identify new ways to target these leukaemia stem cells which could reduce the chances of relapse and give everyone diagnosed with AML the best possible chance of survival.
What our community think
“As the parent of someone who was diagnosed with AML as an infant we live in fear of relapse. Knowing that there is ongoing research into [this] is very valuable and gives me hope that there will be lower rates of relapse in the future.”
- Patient Voice Grant Advisory Network Member, a mother to a child in remission from AML