Leukemia is the most common pediatric cancer. While some types of leukemia respond very well to current treatment, others, such as AML, still have unacceptably low cure rates of 40-50%. A better understanding of the way leukemia evolves is necessary in order to develop new treatments.
Sympathoadrenal lineage of the neural crest and its etiology is intriguing in that it presents in two forms: one, which spontaneously regresses; and another, highly aggressive form that has a very high rate of mortality. The influences that promote tumor regression versus progression are unknown, but likely involve altered signaling through neurotrophins, particularly brain derived neurotrophic factor.
Chris loves baseball – he has a history of playing for his high school team and is a longtime fan of the San Francisco Giants. However, when he was in high school, Chris began having strange symptoms. Today, Chris is a three-time survivor of glioblastoma.
