Breakthrough in fight against cancer which took Bradley
NEWCASTLE scientists have made an important step towards beating the cruel childhood cancer that killed Bradley Lowery.
Neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nervous system that mainly affects babies and young children.
Although rare, the disease is one of the most common cancers to affect children, with around 95 youngsters diagnosed each year.
Among the victims of neuroblastoma is Bradley Lowery, the County Durham six-year-old whose battle with the disease captured hearts across the country, before his death in July 2017.
Neuroblastoma often begins in the adrenal gland but in around half of cases the condition has spread throughout the body by the time it is diagnosed, particularly to bone and bone marrow, and in these high risk cases survival is only about 50%.
But now, a new study led by experts at Newcastle University and published in the medical journal Clinical Cancer Research has examined the neuroblastoma cells which circulate in the blood and spread through the bone marrow.
It is the first time that circulating neuroblastoma tumour cells have been identified in this way and scientists say it is now possible to test the effect of newer targeted types of treatments on the circulating tumour cells without the need for an invasive biopsy.
Professor Deborah Tweddle, from the newly formed Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, led the national study, which has been described as a “major step forward”.
She said: “Our study is an exciting development. It has improved our understanding of the spread of neuroblastoma and why some young patients may be at high risk of the disease advancing.
“If the numbers of circulating tumour cells prove important in predicting the effects of chemotherapy then, in the future, we will hopefully be able to tailor treatment to an individual patient’s needs.
“Through a greater understanding of neuroblastoma we hope to eventually improve the cure rate and, for those children who survive, we want to make sure that their quality of life is as good as possible after treatment.
“Our ultimate aim is to give those with this devastating disease the best chance possible and increase survival rates.”
Professor Tweddle’s team believe their study was the first in the world to use a piece of specialist equipment called an Image Stream Flow Cytometer and the team also discovered they could look at the tumour’s DNA by examining blood cells.
Further research will look at a much larger number of patients and will be done as part of the next European high risk neuroblastoma trial, which is hoped will be open in the UK next year.
Bradley’s mum Gemma Lowery, who launched the Bradley Lowery Foundation after his death, is delighted that Newcastle University has embarked on such an important study.
She said: “It is extremely important that as much research as possible is done into neuroblastoma to help improve treatments for children with the condition.
“In general, not enough research is done into childhood cancer so the fact that Newcastle University is leading the way in studying neuroblastoma is fantastic.”
She added: “It’s great that this research is a stepping stone towards personalised treatment as the standard treatment currently given is gruelling. Bradley was on life-support for 15 days, not from the cancer but from the effects of the chemotherapy.
“The Bradley Lowery Foundation is pushing for more people to become involved in scientific research and this is an example of the importance of it.”