Scientists seeking a way to eliminate an adverse reaction to treatments for acute lymphocytic leukemia, a common childhood cancer, have found what they believe to be an early warning indicator. Mouse studies conducted by Rutgers researchers as part of a larger scientific team are pointing to vitamin A levels as a signal that a patient may or may not be vulnerable to a dangerous toxicity. Summarizing their findings in Science Translational Medicine, the scientists found that, in patients being treated for acute lymphocytic leukemia with the chemotherapy drug asparaginase, there is an association between low levels of vitamin A and the development of pancreatitis. The results also suggest that increasing levels of vitamin A in the diet may reduce the risk of developing pancreatitis. To read the full story.