Posts tagged Deadly

Philadelphia, PA (Business Wire) 30 September 2010

With immunotherapyâ? biological agents, the bodyâ? ? Stimulate s immune system? Pediatric oncologists have the first big increase over a decade cure rate for childhood cancer neuroblastoma achieved. A study published recently shows that the new treatment improves the survival rate of 20 percent, compared to standard treatment for an aggressive form of neuroblastoma, a cancer of the nervous system.

â? We expect that to change these results to clinical practice, a new gold standard for the treatment of this often fatal disease, â? Said John M. Maris, MD, co-author of the study and director of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research The children? s Hospital of Philadelphia. Maris is the chairman of neuroblastoma children? S Oncology Group (COG), cooperative research organization sponsored multi-center study.

The study is published in 30 September issue accompanied by the New England Journal of Medicine, a separate study on COG intermediate risk neuroblastoma. The corresponding author of the study immunotherapy Alice L. Yu, MD, Ph.D., University of California, San Diego.

neuroblastoma, a cancer of the peripheral nervous system appears, usually as a solid tumor in the chest or abdomen. They account for 7 percent of all cancers in children, but because it often occurs in an aggressive form, it generates 15 percent of all cancer deaths in children. While forms of low-risk neuroblastoma disappear spontaneously forms with high risk of cancer tends to return after the first treatment, usually with fatal consequences.

In this study, researchers assigned 226 patients with high risk in many cancer centers receive either standard therapy (chemotherapy isotretinoin) or immunotherapyâ? three biological agents in combination with isotretinoin. Immunotherapy consisted of the monoclonal antibodies ch14.18 plus two cytokines: granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-2. Monoclonal antibodies are molecular? missilesâ tour? the cancer cells by targeted a substance to kill these cells. Cytokines are immune responses are naturally occurring proteins, the signaling.

About 54 percent of patients receiving standard therapy Neuroblastoma is a disease that is almost always fatal relapse. In contrast, only 34 percent of patients receiving immunotherapy experimental return to their disease, as reflected in a higher cure rate. The immunotherapy of patients do pain and other toxic side effects at a rate higher than the standard therapy group. Nevertheless, there is evidence of clear benefits of immunotherapy enabled researchers to stop the study earlier than expected.

Cancer Center at the nursery? s Hospital of Philadelphia was the use of this immunotherapy treatment under the standard treatment for children with high-risk neuroblastoma for over a year since the preliminary results were reported in June 2009. The children came from all over the world receive this treatment on children’s pool? S Hospital, which has a long-established research and clinical programs in neuroblastoma.

Maris internationally renowned expert in neuroblastoma, among many other results in 2008, he led the first study that identifies the location of the genes in neuroblastoma origin. Earlier this year, chose the New England Journal of Medicine Maris on a journal article, write â? Recent advances in neuroblastoma, a? describes the current state of science.

of current immunotherapy study, also co-Maris, a second study in the same issue of the journal reports, wrote a separate COG Phase 3 clinical trials with intermediate risk neuroblastoma. The corresponding author Katherine K. Matthay, was MD, University of California, San Francisco. This study showed that physicians can significantly reduce the dose and duration of chemotherapy in neuroblastoma used, and still get very high survival rate of 98 percent in children for treatment. The benefits of lower doses are better quality of life, reduced costs and experience a reduction in the expected late effects of chemotherapy, the years after the treatment.

â? Together, these studies made significant progress in the care of children have difficulty with this cancer, â? Maris says. â? We will continue to explore treatments to improve the level of care.â?

grants from the National Institute of Health and the Food and Drug Administration has supported the study of immunotherapy. Grants from the National Cancer Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health supported the study of medium-risk neuroblastoma. Both studies were conducted on children’s pool? S Oncology Group.

â? Anti-GD2 with GM-CSF, interleukin-2 and isotretinoin for neuroblastoma, a? and â? Outcome after chemotherapy for neuroblastoma medium risk reduction, a? New England Journal of Medicine, 30 September 2010.

children’s pool’s Hospital of Philadelphia: The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia was founded in 1855 as the first children’s hospital in the nation. With its long-standing commitment to providing exceptional care, training new generations of children and health professionals pioneering major research initiatives, Children’s Menu? S hospital has many discoveries that have benefited children worldwide have promoted. Its pediatric research program is among the largest in the country, ranking in the financing of the National Institutes of Health-third. In addition, its unique family-centered programs of public care facilities, and made the 460-bed hospital recognition as a champion for children and young people. For more information, visit the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia website, or if you see our Facebook page for additional multimedia

Note to editors: For an interview with John Maris is located and talk to families of children, immunotherapy for neuroblastoma, please contact Rachel Salis-Silverman 267-426-6063 contact

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