EAQ211 – Evaluating the Impact of Social and Genetic Factors on Outcomes in Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Hodgkin or Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma or Leukemia

By Bradley Zebrack, PhD

For adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors, the demands of their illness may compound normal developmental challenges and adversely affect physical, emotional, and social health. Research studies focused on understanding their unique needs and challenges are critical to developing interventions to improve health outcomes. The EAQ211 study was designed with this in mind. It is a prospective observational study that aims to better understand how the world that AYA survivors live in affects the outcomes of their cancer treatment.

Through a series of blood tests and patient questionnaires, EAQ211 seeks to establish associations between social-environmental risk factors and alterations in the activity of genes and immune cells. The study team will also explore the impact of such alterations on subsequent health outcomes (i.e., morbidity, mortality, quality of life). The tests will detect the presence of the Conserved Transcriptional Response to Adversity (CTRA) RNA profile in participants. CTRA provides a genomic framework for connecting macro-level psychosocial processes to the micro-level biology of health and disease.

Amendments #6 and #7 (v.07/18/25) were recently activated and include several key changes:

• The trial now includes acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors (previously, only survivors of Hodgkin or non-Hodgkin lymphoma were eligible)
• Eight new academic sites were approved to open the study and enroll patients; these include:
  • Emory University/Winship Cancer Institute
  • Northwestern University/Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • University of Chicago Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
  • University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
  • Fox Chase Cancer Center
• The baseline survey is now available for completion up to 30 days after registration (previously up to 14 days)
• Each follow-up survey is now available for completion until the next survey is due (previously ± 14 days around the expected due date)
• An update was made to clarify that if a patient experiences a relapse, recurrence, or new cancer diagnosis after enrolling in the study, they should remain in the study (they are not disqualified)

Please note that this is not a complete account of all Amendment #6 and #7 updates; please review the protocol for all changes. Study resources have been revised to reflect Amendments #6 and #7 and are available for download at CTSU.org or on the EAQ211 Educational Materials page.

Learn more about the EAQ211 trial at ecog-acrin.org.

Dr. Zebrack (University of Michigan) is the study chair for this trial. The study co-chair is Steven Cole, PhD (University of California, Los Angeles) and the epidemiologist is Ilana F. Gareen, PhD (ECOG-ACRIN Biostatistics Center at Brown University). The community co-chair is Pinki Prasad, MD (Louisiana State University).