Childhood leukemia is a rare disease, being slightly more common in Latin American and Caribbean countries than in Europe. However, the survival of patients is significantly different between both regions. This may be due to medical and non-medical factors: biology, access to healthcare, limited diagnostic resources, lack of research, etc.
CLOSER team will work to improve the diagnosis and prognosis of children with leukemia in Latin America, to reduce the survival gap between the two regions. Over the next five years (2019-2023), researchers from Argentina, Austria, Chile, the Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom and Uruguay will work together in a large international consortium.
CLOSER is a public project funded by the European Union.
CLOSER WILL
Study the different subtypes of leukemia diagnosed in Latin America and Europe.
This information will help to apply risk-directed treatments, minimize undesirable side effects and improve the prognosis of children with leukemia
Promote initiatives to simplify diagnostic procedures, making them more affordable,
so they can be easily applied in those countries with fewer resources
Include a training program to help healthcare professionals
develop the required skills in the constantly changing diagnostic technologies
Engage patients in research (‘patient empowerment’)
to get to know the real needs of the patients, their families and caregivers
International Consortium
