Background

I will work to determine the effect that the administration of prophylactic antibiotics to Trisomy 21 patients receiving induction chemotherapy has on their mortality, since it is known that patients with Down Syndrome are at a higher risk for both Leukemia and more severe outcomes (such as infections) of Leukemia.

Background

Neuroblastoma is a pediatric cancer that typically arises in very young children. Approximately half of neuroblastoma patients present with a clinically aggressive form of the disease; this accounts for only 4% of pediatric cancer diagnoses, yet is responsible for 12% of pediatric cancer deaths. New treatments are needed to help these high-risk neuroblastoma patients. About half of these children with high-risk neuroblastoma have a genomic alteration that results in multiple copies (>10) of the gene MYCN.

Background

Neuroblastoma remains a devastating clinical problem and continues to be a leading cause of childhood cancer morbidity and mortality despite dramatic increases in therapy. Recent developments in cancer research are changing our understanding of neuroblastoma biology and treatment on the basis of the molecular underpinnings of individual tumors, and are challenging us to design more rational and less toxic therapies.