Better Chances for Children with Brain Tumors
Sadly, children are the ones who often develop a malignant brain tumor. Scientists have now discovered a molecular marker which makes it easier to predict the behavior of medulloblastoma, the most common pediatric malignant brain tumor. An important puzzle piece to help find improved therapies....
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To study how medulloblastoma develops, Frank Mendrzyk and Dr. Bernhard Radlwimmer examined the tumor tissue of more than 200 patients. During their research they stumbled upon the gene CDK6, which appears to play a key role in the growth and differentiation of tumor cells. Their findings showed that the presence of several copies of CDK6 was associated with an unfavorable outcome. CDK6 can be easily identified using already established, diagnostic procedures and can serve as an important marker for assessing the patient’s condition. CDK6 can also be used as a marker in clinical trials to indicate whether and how well the young patients will respond to a treatment.
In addition, the gene PPM1D, which has already been associated with other cancer diseases, seems to be involved in the development of medulloblastoma. The NGFN researchers were able to prove that PPM1D was increasingly produced in the tumor tissue they were investigating. PPM1D cancels the effect of another gene that suppresses the development of cancer.
By contrast, cells which lack PPM1D are resistant to mutation to a cancer cell. “To understand the precise role of CDK6 and PPM1D in the development of medulloblastoma, we need to conduct further studies,” explains Bernhard Radlwimmer. “With this knowledge we hope to be able to develop new, effective therapies.”
Website of scientists involved in this NGFN project
