{"id":28439,"date":"2022-11-04T10:30:30","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T10:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/?p=24826"},"modified":"2024-11-03T15:13:13","modified_gmt":"2024-11-03T15:13:13","slug":"changes-to-chromosomes-impact-how-childrens-brain-tumours-respond-to-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ogkologos.com\/en\/changes-to-chromosomes-impact-how-childrens-brain-tumours-respond-to-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Changes to chromosomes impact how children\u2019s brain tumours respond to treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Tissue<\/p>\n

The Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, US <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\u201cBrain tumours are amongst the most difficult-to-treat cancers,\u201d explains Professor Steve Clifford, Chair of Molecular Paediatric Oncology at the University of Newcastle. \u201cIt\u2019s especially heartbreaking when they affect children.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Medulloblastoma<\/span><\/a> is a children\u2019s brain cancer that develops in the back of the brain, in an area called the cerebellum. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

This type of brain cancer can grow quickly and spread to other parts of the brain and spine. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Every year in the UK, around 55 children are diagnosed with medulloblastoma, and there is a pressing need for new treatments. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Now, led by Professor Clifford, Cancer Research UK scientists based at Newcastle University Centre for Cancer have identified changes in chromosomes that explain why some of these childhood tumours respond better to treatment. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

The researchers hope that this new knowledge will help doctors to better understand the chances of survival when a child is diagnosed with medulloblastoma. The results could also help scientists design more precise and effective treatments for the condition. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

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Knowing when, how and why these chromosome changes occur will allow us to better treat medulloblastoma, especially those types of medulloblastoma which can be less responsive to existing treatments.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Professor Steve Clifford, Chair of Molecular Paediatric Oncology at the University of Newcastle<\/span> <\/span><\/cite><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

No two tumours look the same<\/span> <\/span><\/h2>\n
Professor Steve Clifford<\/p>\n

” data-medium-file=”https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Steve-Clifford.jpg” data-large-file=”https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Steve-Clifford.jpg” class=”wp-image-24829 size-full” src=”https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Steve-Clifford.jpg” alt=”Professor Steve Clifford, Chair of Molecular Paediatric Oncology at the University of Newcastle ” width=”200″ height=”200″ srcset=”https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Steve-Clifford.jpg 200w, https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Steve-Clifford-150×150.jpg 150w, https:\/\/news.cancerresearchuk.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/11\/Steve-Clifford-96×96.jpg 96w” sizes=”(max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px”><\/p>\n

Professor Steve Clifford<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

Every cell in our body has more than 2 metres of DNA tightly wrapped up into little packages called chromosomes. DNA is made up of genes which contain all the instructions that tell a cell what to do.<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Children\u2019s cancer often sees changes, or mutations, to DNA, including whole chromosomal changes, such as aneuploidy<\/a>.<\/p>\n

This is one of the biggest challenges with treating medulloblastoma. Because of the complexity of the tumour\u2019s genetic makeup, no two tumours are the same. <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cEven within a medulloblastoma tumour, cells can have big differences in the quantity and structure of chromosomes, which affects which parts of the tumour we can target for treatment,\u201d says Clifford. <\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cKnowing when, how and why these chromosome changes occur will allow us to better treat medulloblastoma, especially those types of medulloblastoma which can be less responsive to existing treatments.\u201d<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n

Decoding the tumours<\/span><\/h2>\n

Medulloblastoma is currently classified into different subtypes depending on how a tumour looks down a microscope, based on its molecular features. There are 4 broad groups of medulloblastoma tumour:<\/span> <\/span><\/p>\n