Researchers have identified new variations in neuroblastoma that could lead to a more accurate prognosis and better-targeted treatments for this devastating childhood cancer.
A study published in the British Journal of Cancer reveals three new subgroups of the most common type of neuroblastoma, each with different genetic traits, expected outcomes, and distinguishing features that offer clues as to which treatments may be most effective. Dr Yihua Wang from the University of Southampton, a senior author on the paper said: “This research represents a pivotal advancement in our understanding of MYCN non-amplified neuroblastomas. The results are striking. These kinds of neuroblastomas can be classified into three distinct subgroups, each demonstrating unique prognostic implications and varying vulnerabilities to investigational therapies.”
Around 100 children are diagnosed with neuroblastoma each year in the UK, representing six to ten per cent of all childhood cancers. Neuroblastoma is a cancer that starts in a type of nerve cell called a neuroblast. It can present in the abdomen, chest neck or pelvis and can spread to other parts of the body. The overall prognosis of the disease is poor, with just 20 per cent of patients still alive at 5 years after diagnosis, but the likelihood of the cancer being cured varies widely, with some tumours spontaneously regressing and others proving resistant to therapy and progressing.
One of the key indicators of risk is the amplification of a gene called MYCN, where tumours have too many of this type of gene. This occurs in around 20 per cent of cases and accounts for about 40 per cent of high-risk neuroblastomas.
