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Acute leukaemia is the most common childhood malignancy. Almost all cases are classified as acute lymphoblastic leukaemia or acute myeloid leukaemia. Acute leukaemia of ambiguous lineage (ALAL) is a rare form of acute leukaemia that cannot be classified by a single lineage. Like other acute leukaemias, ALAL typically presents with nonspecific symptoms such as fatigue, fever, or bleeding.
Craniospinal irradiation (CSI) is a cornerstone of pediatric brain cancer therapy, yet detailed, reproducible protocols for accurate CSI delivery in preclinical mouse models remain scarce, hindering translational research and the development of radiosensitizing strategies. We aimed to establish a clinically relevant, easily replicable radiation therapy protocol for medulloblastoma mouse models, providing a robust platform for preclinical evaluation of novel therapeutic combinations.
High-grade glioma (HGG) cells reactivate neurodevelopmental programs regulated by ion channels to drive tumor progression. The activity of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) is fundamental to development, a target of blood-brain barrier (BBB)-permeable FDA-approved drugs, and aids tumor advancement in several cancers. However, the contribution of VGSC activity to HGG pathology remains unknown.
Over 90% of US children with cancer are treated at Children's Oncology Group (COG) centers, which seek to maximize enrollment in therapeutic and biobanking studies. Rare cancers have demonstrated lower than expected COG enrollment. We evaluated trends in COG rare cancer enrollment compared to US incidence from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registries, examining the impact of COG therapeutic trials and Project:EveryChild, a cancer biobank/registry.
Smokers are at an increased risk of developing mucosal head and neck squamous cell cancers (HNSCCs) and have a worse prognosis when treated. The cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the latter has not been established. We therefore developed an in vitro model to investigate the effects of radiation and smoking on mucosal HNSCCs.
Childhood renal masses comprise a heterogeneous group of conditions that have a wide range of presentations. This review outlines an approach to the diagnostic work-up of childhood renal masses and discusses the most common presentations and treatments. Renal tumours make up 5% of childhood cancer in Australia, with Wilms tumour being the most common under age 10 years.
Childhood cancer survivors (CCS) are at risk of long-term skeletal muscle deficits following intensive therapies during critical periods of growth. This review aimed to synthesize approaches for assessing muscle quantity, quality, and function in CCS and to quantify deficits relative to healthy peers.
Siblings of children with cancer have been shown to experience disruption in multiple domains including family, school, and friendships. Existing literature on siblings' experiences focuses on older children or on a broad range of ages.
Event-free survival considers other adverse events in addition to mortality. It therefore provides a more complete understanding of the effectiveness and consequences of treatment than standard survival measures, but is rarely reported at the population level for childhood cancer.
Standard-risk WNT medulloblastoma patients have an excellent prognosis using the combination of standard dose craniospinal radiotherapy (CSI) followed by platinum and alkylator based chemotherapy. A recent pilot study that attempted to completely omit radiotherapy was terminated early as all patients relapsed rapidly. The study highlights that therapy is the most important prognostic factor, with CSI still required to cure even the most favorable subgroup of medulloblastoma patients.