OBJECTIVES: Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy, accounting for approximately 78% of all childhood cancers.  A review of published peer-reviewed literature was conducted to evaluate the impact of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) on costs and quality-of-life (QoL). METHODS: A targeted review of literature was conducted in Medline from 2006 onwards using disease terms for “acute lymphoblastic leukemia” combined with terms for costs and QoL. Review articles, non-English language studies, pharmacogenomics studies and studies with non-pediatric patient population were excluded. Impact of ALL on costs and QoL was qualitatively assessed. RESULTS: Nine studies were identified which met our inclusion criteria, three of which were cost-effectiveness studies, three were cost studies, and three were QoL studies. Studies were conducted in the Netherlands, China, Italy, Canada, USA, Egypt, Iran, Brazil, and Malawi. Among studies that evaluated cost-effectiveness as an outcome, certain treatments of childhood ALL in low- and middle-income countries and Europe were relatively cost-effective. The use of newer technology in the Netherlands led to higher cost but an increase in life years saved. One study that evaluated cost as an outcome suggested that severe complications was a major factor impacting total medical cost in China. Another study in China suggested that reduced intensity protocol appeared to achieve reasonable event-free survival for non-high risk ALL at a much lower cost. Among studies that evaluated QoL as an outcome, patients had relatively lower QoL compared to the norm and may suffer from low psychiatric mobility, decreased performance and decreased total intelligence quotient. CONCLUSIONS: Research on impact of childhood ALL on costs and QoL is very limited. Further research should evaluate current and new treatments for childhood ALL to establish more cost-effective disease management and to enable policy makers make informed decisions.