From Health&Medicine in The West online
MARNIE McKIMMIE
March 26, 2014
A new era in brain tumour research has dawned with advances in gene and molecular technology finally explaining to scientists why tumour cells that look the same under the microscope behave and respond differently to treatment.
"We were able to pry into the heart of the tumour and realise that these cells that looked the same were genetically different and this explained the different outcomes," The Kids Research Institute Australia brain tumour research leader Nick Gottardo said.
The "explosive research finding" has already triggered unprecedented changes internationally, with the world's best brain tumour researchers gathering in WA last year to become "allies" and commit to a global action plan to tackle medulloblastoma, one of the most common and aggressive forms of childhood brain tumours.
From now on, medulloblastoma will no longer be considered a single disease but rather a disease with four subgroups, each with its own distinct molecular make-up.
"If you treat tumours all the same, it's hit and miss - you risk over-treating some and under-treating others," Dr Gottardo said. "So the value of being able to identify subgroups and develop targeted treatments for those cannot be underestimated."