Abstract B051: Informational needs and attitudes toward pharmacogenomic testing among parents of ethnically diverse pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients: A report from the REDIAL Consortium

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this study is to explore attitudes toward and perspectives on pharmacogenomic (PGx) testing among an ethnically diverse sample of parents of pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). There are significant disparities in survival rates for ALL, with Latino and Black patients having worse outcomes. These disparities may be partially due to germline variability in drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters responsible for drug disposition. PGx testing, which examines an individual’s DNA to assess their physiological reaction to certain medications, may have significant clinical utility for this patient population. Yet, research has shown that patients and parents have concerns about PGx testing, and parents of Latino ethnicity may have distinct or accentuated considerations when making decisions about PGx testing. We conducted, recorded, and transcribed interviews with 31 parents, 18 of whom self-identified as non-Latino and 13 as Latino. Parents were recruited across three hospital sites and were considered eligible if they were parents (≥18 years of age) who spoke English or Spanish and whose children were currently in the maintenance phase of frontline treatment for ALL. Interviews continued until thematic saturation was reached. Using team-based thematic analysis, we adopted a hybrid inductive and deductive approach for codebook and theme development. Two team members reviewed all coded text and abstractions, and any discrepancies were discussed until consensus was reached. Analysis was aided by the qualitative analysis software Dedoose. Our results suggest that parents identified 11 specific benefits, including the utility of PGx to promote treatment enhancement, to prevent toxicities, and for use as an educational tool. However, parents expressed concerns about the privacy and confidentiality of the results and test accuracy. When asked about results disclosure, parents emphasized their preference for in-person communication rather than having a virtual assistant or chatbot relay PGx results. Apart from verbal forms of communication, 13 parents expressed preference for the inclusion of a letter or report. Our study indicates that parents of children who have undergone ALL treatment generally hold positive views toward PGx testing, yet they continue to have questions about its use and require further information to better understand its scope and limitations. Moreover, findings from this study may guide curriculum development for clinicians by informing PGx implementation strategies before and after testing. Citation Format: Abigail C. Martinez, Page Trotter, Hadley Stevens Smith, Michael E. Scheurer, Karen R. Rabin, Philip J. Lupo, M. Brooke Bernhardt, Stacey Pereira, REDIAL Consortium. Informational needs and attitudes toward pharmacogenomic testing among parents of ethnically diverse pediatric acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients: A report from the REDIAL Consortium [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 19th AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities; 2026 Oct 18-21; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2026;35(10 Suppl):Abstract nr B051.