Targeted Treatment Breakthrough for Aggressive Childhood Brain Cancer

A recent study led by researchers at Newcastle University has unveiled key findings regarding group 3 medulloblastomas, a highly aggressive type of brain tumor in children. This research, part of the £5 million INSTINCT program funded by multiple childhood cancer charities, has been published in the journal NeuroOncology.

Medulloblastomas account for 5–10 percent of childhood cancer deaths, and group 3 variants are particularly difficult to treat, often proving nearly incurable with existing therapies. Professor Steve Clifford, director of the Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, emphasized the importance of identifying a specific patient subgroup that urgently requires new treatment approaches. 

The researchers analyzed the largest cohort of MYC-amplified tumors ever studied to date, uncovering critical variations in clinical outcomes. “New therapies are urgently required to treat these tumors, but there has been a lag in their development,” Clifford said in a recent press release. The study highlights a potential target for new treatments: the serine/glycine synthesis pathway, which is crucial for the growth of MYC tumors. Experimental models have shown that PHGDH inhibitor drugs can effectively slow tumor growth by targeting this metabolic pathway. 

Ed Schwalbe, PhD, an associate professor in the department of applied sciences at Northumbria University, who led the initial phase of the study, noted that understanding the differing outcomes for children with MYC medulloblastomas can inform better treatment selections and “paves the way for new approaches to treat this devastating disease.” The research marks a crucial step toward more effective, targeted therapies that aim to improve survival rates and quality of life for young patients battling this formidable cancer.

Note: This news summary was generated by AI based on a published press release, followed by a review from human editors.