New insight into aggressive childhood cancer

piggy submitted, created time 2 days 3 hours (www.eurekalert.org)

A new study reveals critical molecular mechanisms associated with the development and progression of human neuroblastoma, the most common cancer in young children. The research, published by Cell Press in the January 6th issue of the journal Cancer Cell, may lead to development of future strategies for treatment of this aggressive and unpredictable cancer.

Neuroblastoma cells are derived from migratory neural crest cells that give rise to the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. During normal development, neural crest cells stop dividing and differentiate

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: genetics oncogenes neuroblastoma pediatric cancer childhood cancer cancer AURKA MYCN neuroblastoma

Study Links Molecule to Muscle Maturation, Muscle Cancer

piggy submitted, created time 1 week 1 day (medicalcenter.osu.edu)

Researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered that a molecule implicated in leukemia and lung cancer is also important in muscle repair and in a muscle cancer that strikes mainly children.

The study shows that immature muscle cells require the molecule, called miR-29, to become mature, and that the molecule is nearly missing in cells from rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer caused by the proliferation of immature muscle cells.

Cells from human rhabdomyosarcoma tumors showed levels of the molecule that were ten percent or less of those in normal muscle cells

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: childhood cancer pediatric cancer cancer muscle muscle maturation muscle cancer miR-29

Scientists turbo-charge immune cells to fight cancer

piggy submitted, created time 2 months 3 days (news.yahoo.com)

Scientists in the United States have created super-charged immune cells that helped beat back cancer tumors in half of a small group of patients tested, according to a study released Sunday.

Adding an artificial receptor to T-lymphocyte immune cells boosted their ability to fight a deadly form of cancer called neuroblastoma, the researchers reported.

Neuroblastoma attacks the nervous system. While fairly rare, it accounts for seven percent of all childhood cancers, and fifteen percent of non-adult cancer deaths

2 comments | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: pediatric cancer childhood cancer immunology cancer treatments cure for cancer cancer cancer cells immune cells

Gene Identified for Deadly Childhood Cancer

sea-maid submitted, created time 4 months 1 week (sciencenow.sciencemag.org)

Fifteen years of genetic sleuthing have finally paid off: Researchers have nailed the gene that appears to cause an inherited form of neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system that predominantly strikes children. Scientists are optimistic that the findings will allow them to develop disease screening for some families, as well as lead to potential new therapies.

1 comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: childhood cancer genetics pediatric cancer pediatrics cancer neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma Expert Reviews Progress And Challenges In Fighting Difficult Pediatric Cancer

cappuccion submitted, created time 1 year 6 months (www.sciencedaily.com)

Childhood cancers are fortunately rare, but among them, neuroblastoma is a special case, accounting for 7 percent of all childhood cancers, but 15 percent of childhood cancer deaths. It typically occurs as a solid tumor in the abdomen, but also in the neck, chest, and pelvis, developing in the network of the body's sympathetic nervous system.

Submit comment | Blog It | Email It | Keywords: Pediatric Cancer Neuroblastoma