Archive for medulloblastoma
Looking for cancer’s Achilles heel: The Pediatric Cancer Dependency Map
Thanks to developments in precision medicine, some adult cancers are now treated with designer drugs that target the genetic mutations that caused them. But most children with cancer have not reaped the same benefits. Unlike adult cancers, childhood cancers carry few genetic mutations. And the mutations these tumors do have are typically harder to make ... Read More about Looking for cancer’s Achilles heel: The Pediatric Cancer Dependency Map
New insights on medulloblastoma from single-cell sequencing
Medulloblastoma, a malignant tumor in the cerebellum, is one of the most common malignant brain cancers in children. Survival rates range from 20 to 90 percent, depending on the genetic subtype. There are at least four: WNT and Sonic Hedgehog (named for the signaling pathways that drive them), Group 3, and Group 4. Group 3 ... Read More about New insights on medulloblastoma from single-cell sequencing
Typing medulloblastoma: From RNA to proteomics and phospho-proteomics
Medulloblastoma is one of the most common pediatric brain tumors, accounting for nearly 10 percent of cases. It occurs in the cerebellum, a complex part of the brain that controls balance, coordination and motor function and regulates verbal expression and emotional modulation. While overall survival rates are high, current therapies can be toxic and cause secondary ... Read More about Typing medulloblastoma: From RNA to proteomics and phospho-proteomics
Beyond appearances: Molecular genetics revises brain tumor classification and care
Pomeroy Scott Pomeroy, MD, PhD, is Neurologist-in-Chief at Boston Children’s Hospital. He practices in the Brain Tumor Center and is a member of the F.M. Kirby Neurobiology Center. For almost a century, brain tumors have been diagnosed based on their appearance under a microscope and classified by their resemblance to the brain cells from which ... Read More about Beyond appearances: Molecular genetics revises brain tumor classification and care
Not all brain tumors are made the same, and that’s important
When you look at an apple, no matter what variety, on the surface you can be pretty sure it’s actually an apple. From there, you can make lots of assumptions about it, like how it will taste when you bite into it and what will happen if you plant the seeds in your yard. With ... Read More about Not all brain tumors are made the same, and that’s important
Childhood brain cancer: Learning to divide and conquer
Diversity is good in populations of people, but when it comes to cancer, it’s bad news. In the case of medulloblastoma—the most common malignant brain cancer in children—tumor diversity has been one of the greatest barriers to designing effective treatments. Now, in the largest genomic study of human medulloblastomas ever, Children’s researchers and their collaborators ... Read More about Childhood brain cancer: Learning to divide and conquer