Childhood Cancer Research
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
3401 Civic Center Boulevard
Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Mentor Name: Richard Aplenc
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Neuroblastoma is a devastating childhood cancer that is responsible for ~12% of childhood cancer mortality in addition to significant morbidity among survivors. Better approaches to treating this disease are desperately needed. One of the most important causes of neuroblastoma is when the levels of a gene called MYCN get extremely high in specific cells. This helps change normal cells into cancer cells and then helps the cancer cells grow and spread. Because of this, scientists are trying to make drugs that specifically block MYCN and have made important advances.
Pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors are the deadliest form of childhood cancer. Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) stands out among these tumors as a particularly devastating disease that arises in the center of the brain at a median age of 6 years old. These central areas of the brain are important for our basic functions, so tumors in these locations cannot be surgically removed. Unfortunately, despite decades of clinical trials with radiation and chemotherapy, we have made little to no progress for patients with DMG.
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
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