Tips from the American Journal of Pathology Jul 23, 2009
Neural Progenitors Drive Neuroblastoma Initiation and Progression. A group led by Dr. Han-Fei Ding of the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, GA reports that the oncogene MYCN may drive neuronal progenitor cell proliferation, contributing to neuroblastoma development ... Neuroblastomas are the most common cancer in infancy, and nearly 50% of neuroblastomas occur in children under the age of two. (EurekAlert!)
Mom's, son's battles with cancer inspire many Jul 18, 2009
At their blog, , the family detailed their son Ryan's battle with neuroblastoma and his mother Missy's battle with breast cancer - detailing scuffles with insurance companies, treatments and their aftermath, a trip to Hooters on Ryan's birthday and the search for a stolen puppy ... Missy and her husband Les originally started in 2004 when Ryan was first diagnosed with Stage 4 neuroblastoma, a form of childhood cancer that attacks developing nerve cells. (Athens Banner-Herald)
Regulation of MYCN expression in human neuroblastoma cells Jul 18, 2009
Amplification of the MYCN gene in neuroblastoma (NB) is associated with a poor prognosis. However, MYCN-amplification does not automatically result in higher expression of MYCN in children with NB. We hypothesized that the discrepancy between MYCN gene expression and prognosis in these children might be explained by the expression of either MYCN-opposite strand (MYCNOS) or the shortened MYCN-isoform (deltaMYCN) that was recently identified in fetal tissues. (BioMed Central)
Childhood Cancer Risk Rises With Mother's Age Jul 16, 2009
Types of cancers most often affecting children include leukemia, lymphoma, central nervous system tumor, neuroblastoma, Wilms tumor, bone cancer, and soft tissue sarcoma. For this population-based case-control study, Spector and Johnson used information from birth registry records in New York, Washington, Minnesota, Texas, and California. (Science Daily)
Benefit puts young Caitlyn in the pink Jul 12, 2009
Caitlyn, a 2-year-old who loves pink, butterflies, and princesses, has been battling a rare form of cancer, neuroblastoma, since early this year. The hospital visits, the doctors, and daily life are often a struggle for Caitlyn, her mother, Mandy Warren, father, Brian Stefanak, and older brother, Xavier Currier. (Auburn Citizen, NY)
Variations in 5 genes raise risk for most common brain tumors Jul 6, 2009
PHLDB1, on chromosome 11, is commonly deleted in neuroblastoma but there is no evidence to date of a role for the gene in glioma. The fact that four of the genetic variations found in a person's genome point to a gene that has been associated in some way with the genome of the tumors is an encouraging sign, Shete said. (EurekAlert!)
Caitlyn's cause Jun 30, 2009
Photo provided Caitlyn Stefanak, 2, is battling neuroblastoma, a rare type of cancer ... Two-year-old Caitlyn was diagnosed earlier this year with neuroblastoma, a rare form of cancer. (Auburn Citizen, NY)
Gene Findings Revealing Reasons For Neuroblastoma Risk Jun 27, 2009
ScienceDaily (June 26, 2009) Two new studies from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia advance the search for genetic events that result in neuroblastoma, a puzzling, often-deadly type of childhood cancer ... Originating in the peripheral nervous system, neuroblastoma is the most common solid cancer of early childhood and causes 15 percent of all childhood cancer deaths ... "Only two years ago we had very little idea of what causes neuroblastoma," said study leader John M. Maris, M.D., chief... (Science Daily)
Kelley Korners to host one big party Jun 19, 2009
Lisa and Dennis Grulke have a son who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in October of 1995. Luther, who is now 14 years old and the youngest of the Grulke's five children, was just 10 months old when he was diagnosed. (Mid Iowa Enterprise, IA)
Genes May Raise Risk of Neuroblastoma in Kids Jun 19, 2009
The findings don't point toward a treatment, but they do give scientists more insight into neuroblastoma, said study co-author Dr. John Maris ... Although not well known, neuroblastoma is the second most common form of cancer in children after leukemia, Maris said ... Neuroblastoma strikes young children and infants, and is fatal in about two-thirds of the cases, Maris said. (MEDLINEplus)
First-ever link between missing DNA and cancer: study Jun 18, 2009
The breakthrough came in a study on neuroblastoma, a devastating paediatric disease of the nervous system that accounts for 15 percent of all cancer deaths among young children ... "This is a brand new area -- we never suspected that this family of genes played a role in neuroblastoma," Maris said in an phone interview ... The new research, published in the British journal Nature, is significant not only because it adds yet another piece to the neuroblastoma puzzle, but also because it... (Yahoo! Asia News)
Cancer patients can't quit, neither will he Jun 16, 2009
Their second oldest child, Spencer Swearingen and his wife Libby, continue to take their four-year-old daughter Tess to treatments for neuroblastoma cancer. Walt is in his second battle with cancer. (Carthage (Hancock County) Journal Pilot, IL)
Hawaii cancer researcher gets national award Jun 6, 2009
Her research study was titled "DFMO-based combination therapy for the treatment of advanced stage neuroblastoma.". The Cancer Research Center of Hawai'i is one of only 65 National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers throughout the United States. (Honolulu Advertiser)
Immune therapies finally working against cancer Jun 3, 2009
Experimental vaccines against three other cancers prostate, the deadly skin disease melanoma and an often fatal childhood tumor called neuroblastoma also gave positive results in late-stage testing in recent weeks, after decades of struggles in the lab ... Big gains also were seen with a neuroblastoma vaccine developed by the cancer institute. (Chippewa Falls Chippewa Herald, WI)
Progress made on cancer Jun 3, 2009
The vaccines that surfaced in the news recently take on follicular lymphoma, melanoma, prostate and neuroblastoma cancers. They give victims of those kinds of cancer additional options. (Bismarck Tribune, ND)
Vandetanib Shows Clinical Benefit When Combined With Docetaxel For Lung Cancer Jun 3, 2009
30, 2009) Researchers have discovered a new drug combination that significantly hinders tumor growth in neuroblastoma, a childhood. (June 1, 2009) A new study found that the combination of two drugs delays disease progression for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. (Science Daily)
Progress reported on cancer vaccine Jun 2, 2009
Experimental vaccines against three other cancers prostate, the deadly skin disease melanoma and an often fatal childhood tumor called neuroblastoma also gave positive results in late-stage testing in recent weeks, after decades of struggles in the lab. "I don't know what we did differently to make the breakthrough," said Dr. Len Lichtenfeld of the American Cancer Society. (Honolulu Advertiser)
New therapy enlists immune system to boost cure rate in a childhood cancer May 28, 2009
In a first, immunotherapy works against neuroblastoma. A multicenter research team has announced encouraging results for an experimental therapy using elements of the body's immune system to improve cure rates for children with neuroblastoma, a challenging cancer of the nervous system ... Neuroblastoma, a cancer of the peripheral nervous system, usually appears as a solid tumor in the chest or abdomen. (EurekAlert!)
The journey of little Isaac Lieser; a real trooper (3) May 24, 2009
Isaac, just 22 months old, was diagnosed with Stage IV Neuroblastoma ... (Isaac s tumor has become chemo-resistant, and the Liesers plan to enroll him in a clinical trial in Vermont next week to take an experimental drug that has been showing promising results in children with Neuroblastoma. (Great Falls Prairie Star, MT)
Down syndrome opens new window on cancer May 21, 2009
Yet children with the disorder don't develop common pediatric cancers, either, such as neuroblastoma or bone tumors. The answer to the mystery probably lies on chromosome 21. (USA Today)
* Research team develops cancer immunotherapy May 17, 2009
BETTER CHANCES: The team found their treatment for neuroblastoma, a cancer that most often appears in childhood, could improve survival rates by 20 percent STAFF WRITER, WITH CNA Sunday, May 17, 2009, Page 2. A clinical trial developed by a Taiwanese research team has offered a glimmer of hope for patients of neuroblastoma, a malignant cancer that appears in early childhood, a press statement released by the Academia Sinica said ... The latest Phase III trial was sponsored by the US-based... (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Taiwan)
Immune Therapy May Aid Kids with Neuroblastoma May 16, 2009
THURSDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- In a phase 3 clinical trial, an experimental immune-based treatment boosted by 20 percent the overall survival of those with tough-to-treat neuroblastoma, which affects mostly children ... The trial involved 226 patients newly diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system ... "Even though we treat it with aggressive therapy, high-risk neuroblastoma often returns, and most patients do not survive," Dr. Alice Yu, a professor of... (MEDLINEplus)
Study: Ginger Helps Chemo Nausea May 15, 2009
CBS Evening News: Study Shows Immunotherapy Boosts Chances Of Recovery From Neuroblastoma. . (CBS News)
Immunotherapy effective against neuroblastoma in children May 15, 2009
A phase III study has shown that adding an antibody-based therapy that harnesses the body's immune system resulted in a 20 percent increase in the number of children living disease-free for at least two years with neuroblastoma. Neuroblastoma, a hard-to-treat cancer arising from nervous system cells, is responsible for 15 percent of cancer-related deaths in children ... "High-risk neuroblastoma has always been a frustrating cancer to treat because, despite aggressive therapy, it has a high... (EurekAlert!)
New Tool Against Deadly Childhood Cancer May 15, 2009
CBS Evening News: Study Shows Immunotherapy Boosts Chances Of Recovery From Neuroblastoma ... New therapy shows dramatic results against neuroblastoma, one of the deadliest forms of cancer in children ... It was neuroblastoma, a rare but deadly form of childhood cancer. (CBS News)
Drug helps kids with neuroblastoma May 15, 2009
Trial drug helps children with deadly neuroblastoma - USATODAY.com ... Trial drug helps children with deadly neuroblastoma ... By Liz Szabo, USA TODAY An experimental drug, available only through a clinical trial, helps prevent relapses in children with a rare cancer called neuroblastoma. (USA Today)
Wishes fulfilled May 13, 2009
Mikahel "Wiki" DeLeon was just two months old when he was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of cancer. Wiki and his family had to travel back and fourth from his hometown of Odessa to Lubbock for his treatment. (Odessa American, TX)
How Some Immune Cells Improve Cancer Outcome May 6, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 5, 2009) For a number of cancers, including neuroblastoma (the second most common tumor in children), tumor infiltration by a subset of immune cells known as V-alpha-24-invariant NKT cells is associated with a favorable outcome ... However, Leonid Metelitsa and colleagues, at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, and The Saban Research Institute of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, Los Angeles, have now shown, in vitro and in mice, that human... (Science Daily)
Drug Therapy Reduces Neuroblastoma Tumor Growth In Pre-clinical Investigation Apr 30, 2009
30, 2009) Researchers from the Children's Cancer Hospital at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a new drug combination that significantly hinders tumor growth in neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer ... By combining a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, vandetanib, with 13-cis-retinoic acid (CRA), a drug often used for severe acne, researchers from the Children's Cancer Hospital at M. D. Anderson found that the two therapies reduced neuroblastoma tumors by 86 percent in... (Science Daily)
Remembering Gavin's musical life - Ballet director wants to chronicle son's story in film Apr 20, 2009
Almost 16 years after losing her son Gavin to neuroblastoma, Charlene Campbell has healed enough to pursue her dream of making a film about her Gavin's short but incredible life ... Just after his first birthday, Gavin was diagnosed with childhood neuroblastoma, a tumor that attacks the nervous system. (Missoulian, MT)
Hope for child cancer treatment Apr 18, 2009
Neuroblastoma is caused by a build up of a protein ... Neuroblastoma accounts for around 7% of all childhood cancers, and around one in six cancer deaths in children ... There is a desperate need for new therapies for neuroblastoma. (BBC News -- Health)
Siblings run in honor of Malden boy Apr 16, 2009
Two marathon runners will take part in Monday s race in honor of a six-year-old Malden boy battling Neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer, and to raise money. in support of pediatric hematology-oncology at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. (Malden Observer, MA)
Biomarker Associated With Poor Outcome In Aggressive Childhood Cancer Apr 15, 2009
14, 2009) Results from a new study identify a biomarker that may be useful for predicting the outcome of treatment for neuroblastoma, the most common cancer in young children ... Because many targets of RA induce differentiation or cell death, RA is used as a therapeutic agent in many cancers, including neuroblastoma ... "Many neuroblastoma patients exhibit aggressive tumors with poor clinical outcome," explains senior study author Dr. Rene Bernards from The Netherlands Cancer Institute. (Science Daily)
Local schools partner with FOP to benefit Dream Factory Apr 14, 2009
He also mentioned Adrianna Cavanagh, two-year-old daughter of Joe and Stephanie Simmons Cavanagh who was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma Cancer. Donations for Adrianna can be made through the local Capital One Bank via Adrianna Kate Cavanagh Donation. (Bogalusa Daily News, LA)
Charlotte's battle Mar 22, 2009
The six-year-old from Essex was diagnosed with a neuroblastoma - a very rare cancer that affects just 100 children each year - most of whom are under five ... She is now back at school and recent MRI scans have proved positive, but the family must wait five years for the all-clear, as children who relapse after having neuroblastoma have very poor prognosis. (BBC News -- Health)
Resveratrol in Wine Kills Cancer Cells Mar 20, 2009
Resveratrol, a natural substance found in wine and in the skin of grapes, may prove effective in treating neuroblastoma, a nervous-system cancer affecting mostly babies and children ... What neuroblastoma and uveal melanoma have in common is the factor of time, Polans said. (Newsmax)
Cancer screening: Doing more harm than good? Mar 13, 2009
Doctors made a tentative diagnosis of neuroblastoma, a nervous system cancer ... Neuroblastoma comes in two forms, one of which is deadly ... But there was no way of knowing if Brandon's tumor was indeed a neuroblastoma, much less whether it was dangerous, without doing a biopsy, and its location made that risky. (MSNBC -- Health)
Survey: Few physicians support private banking of umbilical cord blood Mar 7, 2009
By contrast, more than half said they would use an individual's own cord blood to treat high-risk neuroblastoma, or to treat severe aplastic anemia in the absence of an available sibling donor. In addition, few would recommend banking of cord blood in families without a member known to have, or be at risk for, a disease that can be treated by transplantation. (EurekAlert!)
Protein Complex Linked To Parkinson Disease Mar 5, 2009
Now, Zhuohua Zhang and colleagues, at the Burnham Institute for Medical Research, La Jolla, have determined that the proteins generated by these genes form a complex in neuroblastoma cells and human brain lysates ... In the study, the Parkin/PINK1/DJ-1 complex was shown to control the degradation of certain proteins (including Parkin itself) in neuroblastoma cells and human brain lysates. (Science Daily)
Frenchtown community event helps with medical bills Mar 1, 2009
She had spent half her life battling neuroblastoma. The Larsons had no sooner buried their daughter when collection companies started asking for payment of medical bills, including costs for anesthesiologists, radiation and neurologists. (Missoulian, MT)
Absence of polysialylated NCAM is an unfavorable prognostic phenotype for advanced stage neuroblastoma Feb 18, 2009
The expression of a neural crest stem cell marker, polysialic acid (polySia), and its main carrier, neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM), have been detected in some malignant tumors with high metastatic activity and unfavorable prognosis, but the diagnostic and prognostic value of polySia-NCAM in neuroblastoma is unclear ... A tumor tissue microarray (TMA) of 36 paraffin-embedded neuroblastoma samples was utilized to detect polySia-NCAM expression with a polySia-binding fluorescent fusion... (BioMed Central)
Targeting Cancer's Own Stem Cells to Fight Recurrence Feb 7, 2009
Eliminating these malingerers could be key in the fight against certain cancers, such as neuroblastoma, which was the focus of this study ... Neuroblastomas, which develop in the nerve tissue of the adrenal gland, neck, chest or spinal cord, account for 8 percent to 10 percent of childhood cancers, the report stated ... "If cancers are being seeded by a few cells, they need to be the target. We have maxed-out therapy for cancers, in particular neuroblastoma. We need to identify something novel... (MEDLINEplus)
