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In children, the majority of cases are self-limiting and thus many paediatric patients can be managed conservatively with minimal complications. This varies considerably compared to adult newly diagnosed immune thrombocytopaenia (NDITP) where, in most cases, thrombocytopaenia persists with higher risk of moderate to severe bleeding complications.
Evidence suggests the involvement of the microbiota, including oral, intra-tumoral and gut, in pancreatic cancer progression and response to therapy. The gut microbiota modulates the bile acid pool and is associated with maintaining host physiology. Studies have shown that the bile acid/gut microbiota axis is dysregulated in pancreatic cancer.
Ependymomas (EPN) are the third most common malignant brain cancer in children. Treatment strategies for pediatric EPN have remained unchanged over recent decades, with 10-year survival rates stagnating at just 67% for children aged 0-14 years. Moreover, a proportion of patients who survive treatment often suffer long-term neurological side effects as a result of therapy. It is evident that there is a need for safer, more effective treatments for pediatric EPN patients.
While chemotherapy remains the first-line treatment for many cancers, it is still unclear what distinguishes responders from non-responders. Here, we characterize the chemotherapy-responsive tumor microenvironment in mice, using RNA sequencing on tumors before and after cyclophosphamide, and compare the gene expression profiles of responders with progressors.
Recurrences frequently occur following surgical removal of primary tumors. In many cancers, adjuvant therapies have limited efficacy. Surgery provides access to the tumor microenvironment, creating an opportunity for local therapy, in particular immunotherapy, which can induce local and systemic anti-cancer effects.
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway signaling pathway is one of the most commonly mutated pathways in human cancers. In particular, BRAF alterations result in constitutive activation of the rapidly accelerating fibrosarcoma-extracellular signal-regulated kinase-MAPK significant pathway, leading to cellular proliferation, survival, and dedifferentiation.
Glioblastoma is the most common form of high-grade glioma in adults and has a poor survival rate with very limited treatment options. There have been no significant advancements in glioblastoma treatment in over 30 years. Epidermal growth factor receptor is upregulated in most glioblastoma tumours and, therefore, has been a drug target in recent targeted therapy clinical trials.
With immune checkpoint therapy (ICT) having reshaped the treatment of many cancers, the next frontier is to identify and develop novel combination therapies to improve efficacy. Previously, we and others identified beneficial immunological effects of the vitamin A derivative tretinoin on anti-tumour immunity.
Medulloblastoma is the most common childhood brain cancer. Mainstay treatments of radiation and chemotherapy have not changed in decades and new treatment approaches are crucial for the improvement of clinical outcomes. To date, immunotherapies for medulloblastoma have been unsuccessful, and studies investigating the immune microenvironment of the disease and the impact of current therapies are limited.
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in infants younger than 1 year of age is an aggressive, high-risk subtype of childhood ALL. Infant ALL with KMT2A-r is characteristically poorly responsive to chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. New strategies, such as molecularly targeted therapies and immunotherapies, are in development and show promise in preclinical models and early phase studies.