Alex's Lemonade Stand Foundation for Childhood Cancer

Mentor Name: Oriana Miltiadous

Mentor Name: Julia Glade-Bender

Mentor Name: Nai-Kong Cheung

Desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) is one of the most aggressive pediatric sarcomas with a low survival rates despite the combination of aggressive chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy. No targeted treatments are currently available and little is known about the biology of this tumor type. Although all patients harbor a very specific chromosomal rearrangements that generates a novel fusion gene, how this gene induces the development of cancer remains a mystery.

Ewing sarcoma occurs in the bone and soft tissue and represents a substantial fraction of cancers affecting children and adolescents. Ewing sarcoma patient’s outcome has substantially improved with the introduction of chemotherapy, and with the current combination of cytotoxic therapy, radiotherapy, and surgical resection, the 5-year survival approaches 70% for some patients. Unfortunately, intensive treatment increases the risk of long-term health problems, including the development of therapy-associated secondary tumors.