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Pediatric oncology patients receive therapy which reduces the capacity of the cellular immunology, making these patients more dependent on the non-cellular, protein-based complement system as their primary method for defense against pathogens. Possibly, patients who are deficient in one of the three activating pathways are even at greater risk for infections.

A longitudinal, prospective clinical trial is currently being conducted and patients are screened for the relative function of the complement system in order to determine the effect of (supportive) therapy and malignancy. Using a wide-range of techniques, including ELISA, SEC and sequencing, risk factors are now being identified.