News Summary
Evelyn Sengelaub, an eight-year-old from Traverse City, has triumphed over leukemia thanks to a clinical trial at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), she was initially treated with standard chemotherapy but sought specialized care after local options failed. Enrolling in a clinical trial for blinatumomab, she has remained cancer-free for nearly four years, highlighting the importance of clinical trials in pediatric cancer treatment and the ongoing need for funding in medical research.
Grand Rapids
An eight-year-old girl from Traverse City has successfully overcome leukemia thanks to an innovative treatment from a clinical trial at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids. Evelyn Sengelaub was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-cell ALL) in November 2021 after a long and challenging search for a diagnosis related to her inability to walk and persistent fevers.
Following the diagnosis, Evelyn underwent standard chemotherapy to treat her leukemia. However, after her family exhausted local treatment options without relief, they sought specialized care at Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, where doctors were able to diagnose her within an hour. Dr. Beth Kurt, a pediatric hematologist-oncologist, introduced them to a clinical trial involving a new medication, blinatumomab.
Though initially hesitant about adding another drug to her treatment regimen, the family decided to enroll in the clinical trial due to insufficient symptom relief from standard chemotherapy. Evelyn became one of 1,440 children participating in the international clinical trial for blinatumomab, which has shown significant promise in treating B-cell ALL.
The clinical trial results demonstrated that blinatumomab effectively reduced the risk of relapse when used in conjunction with chemotherapy for children diagnosed with B-cell ALL. The three-year disease-free survival rate for patients receiving blinatumomab plus chemotherapy was reported at 97.5%, significantly higher than the 90.2% rate for those receiving chemotherapy alone.
B-cell ALL is the most common type of cancer diagnosed in children and accounts for a considerable number of cancer-related fatalities in younger populations due to cases of relapse. Blinatumomab functions by redirecting the patient’s own immune T cells to identify and combat B-cell leukemia cells.
During the trial, participants were organized into two groups: one receiving only chemotherapy (722 patients) and another receiving blinatumomab combined with chemotherapy (718 patients). Evelyn was treated with blinatumomab during two five-week periods, alongside her regular chemotherapy sessions. Remarkably, her treatment led to remission without any significant side effects, and she has now remained cancer-free for nearly four years.
Evelyn continues to receive ongoing monitoring treatment in Traverse City, which includes regular lab tests to assess her health status.
The success of Evelyn’s treatment highlights concerns about the future of clinical trials and funding for medical research, particularly following the potential budget cuts proposed under the previous Trump administration. Historically, childhood cancer research has received only a fraction of the federal budget. Each year, approximately 15,000 children and teenagers in the U.S. are diagnosed with some form of childhood cancer.
Dr. Kurt emphasized the imperative nature of clinical trials in securing new treatment options for children battling cancer. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital is recognized as a leading institution for clinical trials focused on childhood cancer research, paving the way for advancements in treatment methodologies and improving patient outcomes.
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Additional Resources
- MLive: Clinical Trial at Grand Rapids Children’s Hospital
- Wikipedia: B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
- The New York Times: CAR-T Immunotherapy for Multiple Myeloma
- Google Search: CAR-T Immunotherapy
- GJ Sentinel: Association Between Leukemia in Kids and Oil & Gas Sites
- Google Scholar: Leukemia and Oil & Gas Sites
- Inside Precision Medicine: NIH Launches MyeloMatch Trials
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Leukemia
Author: STAFF HERE GRANDRAPIDS WRITER
GRAND RAPIDS STAFF WRITER The GRAND RAPIDS STAFF WRITER represents the experienced team at HEREGrandRapids.com, your go-to source for actionable local news and information in Grand Rapids, Kent County, and beyond. Specializing in "news you can use," we cover essential topics like product reviews for personal and business needs, local business directories, politics, real estate trends, neighborhood insights, and state news affecting the area—with deep expertise drawn from years of dedicated reporting and strong community input, including local press releases and business updates. We deliver top reporting on high-value events such as ArtPrize, Festival of the Arts, and World of Winter. Our coverage extends to key organizations like the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce and Grand Rapids Community Foundation, plus leading businesses in furniture, healthcare, and technology that power the local economy such as Steelcase, Spectrum Health, and Meijer. As part of the broader HERE network, including HEREDetroitMI.com, HERENorthville.com, HERENovi.com, and HEREPlymouth.com, we provide comprehensive, credible insights into Michigan's dynamic landscape.
