German Scientists believe to have found new childhood cancer therapy

Neuroblastoma is a cancer of specialized neural crest cells active during the development of the nervous system; hence most cases occur in patients under the age of five. About seven percent of all childhood cancers and around one in six deaths in children due to cancer are caused by Neuroblastoma. The most aggressive cases involve exhibit the build-up of Myc proteins in the cells. A recent study done by German researchers and published in the Cancer Cell journal considers the role of the Aurora protein in development. They found that the Aurora protein prevents cells from breaking down Myc. They suggest that blocking this protein may return cancerous cells to a non-malignant state. In theory this treatment would restore the cells’ health and they would go back to breaking down the Myc protein normally, but that has yet to be proven. Breaking ground for new drug research, this observation brings hope for new medicines that will treat the condition without requiring surgery.

Lead researcher Professor Martin Eilers said: "We are very excited by our findings which may pave the way for the development of drugs to fight this rare but deadly cancer." The research, although at an early stage will be vital because neuroblastoma is one of the most difficult childhood cancers to treat according to Mark Matfield from the Association for International Cancer Research. Dr Penelope Brook, a child cancer specialist at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital, said the research was a "potentially very exciting" development in the treatment of what could be a "very worrying" disease. "There are a number of new potential treatments coming through for neuroblastoma, but it will not be until clinical trials have been carried out that we will know which one will be of most use. Sometimes treatments appear very active in cell cultures, or even animal models, but sadly they do not translate into improvements in clinical outcomes."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7811161.stm