New Hope For Children With Wilms' Tumour

Scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research have made a significant breakthrough in predicting the behaviour of Wilms' tumour (a type of childhood kidney cancer). For children with the aggressive form of the disease, who have a lower chance of survival, this research offers new hope through the possibility of targeted treatments. The publication coincides with the launch of Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

In the UK around 70 children are diagnosed with Wilms' tumour each year - the fifth most common childhood cancer. The majority of these children have a good chance of survival following standard treatment. However, around 15% have a form of the disease which is more prone to return and have only a 50% chance of survival. At present it is not possible to predict whether a child's cancer is likely to relapse or not. The research by scientists at The Institute of Cancer Research, funded by Cancer Research UK, has been published in the journal Cancer Research*. Using DNA microarrays, which allow the measurement of thousands of genes at the same time, the scientists found a significant link between an increased number of copies of the IGF1R gene and an increased risk of treatment failure and relapse. The IGF1R gene codes for the IGF1R protein, a cell surface receptor that plays a key role in cell growth and division. The scientists found that children with more copies of the IGF1R gene have a greater number of these receptors on the surface of their cancer cells. It is hoped that this development will provide a new target for treating children with this aggressive form of Wilms' tumour. Lead investigator, Dr Chris Jones, Team Leader in Paediatric Molecular Pathology at The Institute of Cancer Research said: "These early results represent a significant development in our understanding of why some Wilms' tumours may be resistant to conventional treatment. They are particularly exciting as we have identified a defect for which there are already new drugs entering clinical trials." Professor John Toy, medical director of Cancer Research UK, said: "This research finding of subtle genetic differences within the same type of cancer may help in identifying which Wilms' tumours are likely to respond less well to treatment. It may, therefore, one day lead to new and different, more successful options for treating children with this particular sub-type of the disease."(Source: Cancer Research : The Institute of Cancer Research : December 2006.)