Childhood Cancer - Cancer Currents Blog
News about childhood cancer research, with context from leading experts. Topics include new treatments, issues facing childhood cancer survivors, and findings on the biology of cancer in children.
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Experimental CAR T-Cell Therapy Shrinks Tumors in Children with Deadly Brain CancerIn a small clinical trial, an experimental CAR T-cell therapy that targets the protein GD2 on cancer cells shrank tumors—for 2 years or more in several cases—in children and young adults with diffuse midline glioma, an aggressive brain and spinal cord cancer.
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Helping Kids with Cancer Speak for the Supportive Care They NeedYounger cancer patients who filled out surveys about their symptoms experienced fewer cancer-related symptoms than those who did not complete the surveys, results from two clinical trials have shown. The findings show patient-reported outcome (PRO) surveys for children can give an accurate picture of how a child is feeling during the stress of treatment.
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Tovorafenib Approved for Some Children with Low-Grade GliomaFDA has granted an accelerated approval to tovorafenib (Ojemda) for kids and teens who have low-grade glioma with changes in the BRAF gene. In a small clinical trial, the drug shrank or completely eliminated tumors in nearly 70% of patients.
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How a Simple Tool Is Saving Lives of Children with Cancer in Latin AmericaA system for catching treatment-related complications in children with cancer has proven to be highly effective in many Latin American hospitals. An NCI-funded study aims to help make these early warning systems sustainable.
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Blinatumomab Increases Survival for Infants with an Aggressive Type of ALLGiving the drug blinatumomab (Blincyto) after standard chemotherapy substantially increased survival for infants with an aggressive form of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a recent study showed. If confirmed in larger studies, the treatment may become standard therapy for infants with ALL caused by KMT2A rearrangements.
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Liquid Biopsies on the Horizon for Children with Solid CancersResults from a new study highlight the progress being made toward developing liquid biopsies specifically for use in children with solid cancers like Ewing sarcoma and Wilms tumor. The tests can help detect and diagnose cancer and monitor for response to treatment and recurrence.
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Dexrazoxane Protects the Heart Long Term for Kids Being Treated for CancerDoxorubicin is used to treat many types of childhood cancer, but it can damage the heart. Giving dexrazoxane (Zinecard) before each dose substantially decreases a child’s risk of treatment-related heart problems in adulthood, new study results show.
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Brentuximab Approved for High-Risk Hodgkin Lymphoma in Children and AdolescentsBased on an NCI-sponsored clinical trial conducted by the Children’s Oncology Group, FDA has approved the drug brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris) in combination with chemotherapy for some children and adolescents with Hodgkin lymphoma.
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Drug Combination Shows Promise for Rhabdomyosarcoma, but Can It Get to Clinical Trials?An NCI study in mice has identified a drug combination that may help treat children with rhabdomyosarcoma. But one of the drugs, ganitumab, is no longer being made. Based on the study's promising results, the NCI researchers who led the study want to test the combination in humans.
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Sodium Thiosulfate Approved to Reduce Chemo-Related Hearing Loss in Children with CancerThe chemotherapy cisplatin often causes permanent hearing loss. Sodium thiosulfate (Pedmark) is the first treatment approved by FDA that can reduce the risk of hearing loss and the severity of damage to the inner ear in children treated with cisplatin.
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Making Transformative Advances against Childhood Cancer: A Conversation with Dr. Doug HawkinsDr. Doug Hawkins, chair of the NCI-funded Children’s Oncology Group, discusses advances in treating children with cancer, COG’s role in conducting clinical trials, and efforts like the Childhood Cancer Data Initiative and Molecular Characterization Initiative.
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Study Confirms Dinutuximab Extends Life for Children with High-Risk NeuroblastomaResearchers have confirmed that the immunotherapy drug dinutuximab (Unituxin) can help children with high-risk neuroblastoma live longer. The finding is based on a trial of nearly 1,200 children with the disease.
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Targeting the Accomplice: A Potential Treatment Approach for RhabdomyosarcomaThe fusion protein that drives the growth and survival of some rhabdomyosarcoma tumors relies on the KDM4B enzyme, researchers have found. Treating mice with a KDM4B-blocking drug and chemotherapy nearly eliminated rhabdomyosarcoma tumors with the fusion protein.
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Dabrafenib–Trametinib Combination Approved for Solid Tumors with BRAF MutationsFDA has approved the combination of the targeted drugs dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) for nearly any type of advanced solid tumor with a specific mutation in the BRAF gene. Data from the NCI-MATCH trial informed the approval.
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For Some Kids with Brain Cancer, Targeted Therapy Is Better than ChemoThe combination of dabrafenib (Tafinlar) and trametinib (Mekinist) shrank more brain tumors, kept the tumors at bay for longer, and caused fewer side effects than chemotherapy, trial results showed. The children all had glioma with a BRAF V600 mutation that could not be surgically removed or came back after surgery.
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Good News and Cautions about Pregnancy for Childhood Cancer SurvivorsAs adults, survivors of childhood cancer aren’t any less likely to have healthy babies than those without a history of cancer, a new study shows. However, they may have more health risks during pregnancy, warranting more intensive obstetric care.
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Test Detects Early Signs of Remaining Cancer in Kids Treated for MedulloblastomaA new test could potentially be used to identify children treated for medulloblastoma who are at high risk of their cancer returning. The test detects evidence of remaining cancer in DNA shed from medulloblastoma tumor cells into cerebrospinal fluid.
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Seeing a Promising Future for Progress against Childhood CancerNCI Director Dr. Ned Sharpless discusses progress against childhood cancers, like CAR T-cell therapy and collecting more comprehensive data on children and adolescents with cancer, and the need to better address disparities in childhood cancer.
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New Task Force Focuses on Quality of Life for AYAs with CancerCancer can greatly disrupt life for adolescents and young adults, who are already going through major life changes. Gathering data on how cancer and its treatment affect this age group will improve their quality of life during and beyond treatment.
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FDA Approval of Rylaze Will Address Drug Shortage for Childhood ALLFDA has approved a new form of asparaginase called Rylaze. The drug was developed to help alleviate shortages of Erwinia asparaginase, a key part of treatment for children and adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.