Novel test may lead to personalised cancer treatment for children

TORONTO

Scientists say they have used a novel test to detect childhood tumours that may guide personalised treatments for children with cancer in the future.

The research, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) Cancer Spectrum, analysed 28 childhood tumour samples from nine cancer types.

Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Canada found that the pediatric cancer-focused test discovered more genetic mutations per sample compared with tests used to analyse adult cancers, and better identified weaknesses that can potentially be targeted with drugs.

From extracting DNA from cancer cells, to sequencing and analysing a sample, the whole process ideally takes two to three days in the lab.

The new technology allows genes of interest to be amplified and can provide results for up to 16 patients in one week. At the end, researchers have a list of possible drugs that may target the pediatric cancer cells.

"Pediatric cancers are often very aggressive, so doing these types of tests need to be very fast," said Amanda Lorentzian, a  graduate student at the University of British Columbia.

"Using targeted sequencing allows for a fast turnaround time and a simple workflow. It has a lot of potential to inform better treatment options for pediatric patients," Lorentzian said.

Similar tests have been designed for adult cancers, but childhood cancers require a unique approach since different tissues are affected and fewer drugs are safe for treating children, said researchers, including those from the the University of Southern California in the US.

"This test uses DNA sequencing technology to look at thousands of specific regions in the tumour's genome and identify changes or mutations in those areas," said Chris Maxwell, an associate professor at the University of British Columbia.

Currently, most children diagnosed with cancer receive treatment and survive. For many cancer types there is greater than an 80 per cent cure rate, but the possibility of relapse is always looming.

"Because cure rates drop dramatically for children that suffer a cancer relapse, we hope this new technology may identify more targeted treatments," said Philipp Lange, an assistant professor at the University of British Columbia.

"In addition, we are thinking of ways that we can use this technology in a more proactive way to study the child's cancer early and prepare for a disease relapse prior to its occurrence," Lange said. — PTI