Australian research program pushes to cure children's cancer
Xinhua, September 2, 2015 Adjust font size:
Children at the highest risk of dying from their cancer are the target of a new Australian research program.
Zero Childhood Cancer, a national personalized medicine program, was launched by the Children's Cancer Institute and Sydney Children's Hospital Network on Wednesday.
A detailed laboratory analysis will be made of each child's unique cancer cells, to help identify the drugs most likely to cure their specific cancer.
Scientists and doctors will then work to identify and deliver the most effective treatment plan for each child's individual disease.
"This is a very exciting initiative that will revolutionize the way in which treatment decisions about childhood cancer will be made," the institute's executive director Professor Michelle Haber told the Australian Associated Press (AAP).
"We see this as a key step towards our vision of one day helping to cure 100 percent of children with cancer."
"Currently, for children with the most challenging forms of cancer, there is very little hope."
Childhood cancer survival rates have increased over the last 60 years, from virtually zero to 80 percent.
Of the 950 children diagnosed each year, 150 are either diagnosed with cancer types that have less than a 30 percent survival rate, or suffer relapse and then have less than a 30 percent chance of cure.
Cancers with particularly poor survival rates are aggressive forms of brain cancer, neuroblastoma, sarcoma and infant leukaemia.
Kids Cancer Center director Professor Glenn Marshall said the program could minimize the side-effects and suffering caused by chemotherapy.
"Knowing which drugs will not be effective in a patient is as important as knowing which drugs will be effective," he said.
"Our ward is full of children suffering as much from the side effects of treatment as they are suffering from cancer."
Scientists and doctors will open pilot study of high risk NSW cancer patients in 2016, then a national clinical trial will follow in 2017 involving 120 children. Endi