Friday, September 25 at 15:00 BST | 16:00 CEST | 10:00 EDT | 07:00 PDT


Methotrexate (MTX) testing supports therapeutic drug monitoring in both severe autoimmune diseases and cancers. It is important that clinical laboratories understand its role across high- to low-dose therapy to optimize treatment and prevent toxicity.

In this educational SelectScience® webinar, Dr. Stacy Kenyon, Medical Director, Core Chemistry and Point of Care Testing, and Dr. Francis Eshun, Associate Professor and Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, will highlight the critical role of MTX in therapeutic drug monitoring from both a laboratorian and clinician perspective.

Depending on the clinical setting, MTX testing can be used in high-dose oncologic regimens to guide leucovorin rescue, or to support routine laboratory safety monitoring across all indications to detect organ toxicity.

In oncology, high-dose MTX is used to treat cancers such as osteosarcoma or acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Serial serum MTX concentrations are essential to identify delayed drug clearance, which can lead to life-threatening toxicity of other cells and organs. It is also used to guide the rescue of noncancerous cells by infusing leucovorin which helps protect healthy cells from toxicity. Importantly, MTX monitoring can help identity patients who are at particular risk of adverse effects, such as those affected by renal impairment, third-space fluid collections, or drug interactions which may delay MTX elimination.

In this session, our experts will cover important aspects of therapeutic drug monitoring in the setting of high-dose MTX in oncology, and will share strategies on how laboratories can implement appropriate MTX testing that supports safe and effective treatment. The role of timely MTX measurement will be discussed as well as MTX assay methodologies, and potential challenges, including monitoring pediatric patients that have received glucarpidase.

Accreditation statement

SelectScience® is approved as a provider of continuing education programs in the clinical laboratory sciences by the ASCLS P.A.C.E.® Program.

Webinar details

  • Cost: Free to attend
  • Location: Online
  • Duration: 60 minutes
  • Instruction level: Intermediate

Registration is required to secure your place. If you register but can’t attend live, you will receive a link to the on‑demand recording once it becomes available.

Sources:

Larsen EC, Devidas M, Chen S, et al. Dexamethasone and High-Dose Methotrexate Improve Outcome for Children and Young Adults With High-Risk B-Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Report From Children's Oncology Group Study AALL0232. J Clin Oncol. 2016; 2380-8.

Hunger SP, Mullighan CG. Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia in Children. NEJM. 2015; 1541-52.

Pediatric Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Clinical Guideline; Updated Aug 2025.

Who should attend?

This event is perfect for:

  • Lab directors
  • Lab administrators
  • Lab technicians
  • Oncologists
What will this webinar cover?

Key learning objectives:

  • Describe the pharmacologic classification and mechanisms of action of methotrexate, as well as the clinical rationale for monitoring serum MTX concentrations, primarily during high-dose MTX therapy.
  • Evaluate the role of timely MTX measurement in reducing toxicity, improving adherence, and optimizing patient outcomes.
  • Discuss the strengths and limitations of various MTX assay methodologies for monitoring in the setting of high-dose MTX therapy.

Presenters

Stacy Kenyon
Stacy Kenyon

Ph.D., DABCC, FADLM

Assistant Clinical Professor; Medical Director, Core Chemistry and Point of Care Testing, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, University of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Dr. Stacy Kenyon is the Medical Director of Core Chemistry and Point of Care Testing at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Dr. Kenyon completed her graduate work at Arizona State University and a Clinical Chemistry Fellowship at the Mayo Clinic. She is a board-certified clinical chemist with expertise in pediatric clinical chemistry, POC testing, quality improvement, and test utilization.
Francis Eshun
Francis Eshun

MD

Associate Professor; Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, University of Arizona, Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Dr. Francis Eshun specializes in pediatric oncology and is board-certified in Pediatric Hematology Oncology and General Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics. Dr. Eshun serves as the Director of the Solid Tumor Oncology and Neuroblastoma Programs and Section Chief of Solid Tumor Oncology at Phoenix Children’s Hospital. He is the Principal Investigator for the Beat Childhood Cancer consortium and several children’s oncology group clinical trials. He is also an Associate Professor at the University of Arizona.
Lucy Lawrence
Lucy Lawrence

Science Editor

SelectScience

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