Editorial on the role of “Genetic mediators of neurocognitive outcome in survivors of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia”

With current chemotherapy regimen favorable event free survival rates can be achieved for children and adolescents with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Besides others, neurocognitive late effects come more and more into the focus of attention. Especially, as first reports indicate that the omission of cranial irradiation (CRT) did not solve the problem of neurocognitive deficits. The report by Krull and colleagues analyzed the association of neurocognitive outcome and a large set of potentially predisspoing polymorphisms. The authors identified significant associations between specific polymorphisms and neurocognitive outcome. However, the consequences of such testing need to be discussed carefully.