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Research

Renal Masses in Childhood: An Australian Perspective

Childhood renal masses comprise a heterogeneous group of conditions that have a wide range of presentations. This review outlines an approach to the diagnostic work-up of childhood renal masses and discusses the most common presentations and treatments. Renal tumours make up 5% of childhood cancer in Australia, with Wilms tumour being the most common under age 10 years.

Research

Ion channel modulator DPI-201-106 significantly enhances antitumor activity of DNA damage response inhibitors in glioblastoma

Glioblastoma, a lethal high-grade glioma, has not seen improvements in clinical outcomes in nearly 30 years. Ion channels are increasingly associated with tumorigenesis, and there are hundreds of brain-penetrant drugs that inhibit ion channels, representing an untapped therapeutic resource. The aim of this exploratory drug study was to screen an ion channel drug library against patient-derived glioblastoma cells to identify new treatments for brain cancer. 

Research

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy in children and adolescent cancer patients

Brain cancer and leukemia are the most common cancers diagnosed in the pediatric population and are often treated with lifesaving chemotherapy. However, chemotherapy causes severe adverse effects and chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a major dose-limiting and debilitating side effect.

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Multi-institutional analysis of treatment modalities in basal ganglia and thalamic germinoma

Central nervous system germinomas are treatment-sensitive tumors with excellent survival outcomes. Current treatment strategies combine chemotherapy with radiotherapy (RT) in order to reduce the field and dose of RT. Germinomas originating in the basal ganglia/thalamus have proven challenging to treat given their rarity and poorly defined imaging characteristics. Craniospinal, whole brain, whole ventricle, and focal RT have all been utilized; however, the best treatment strategy remains unclear.

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A surveillance clinic for children and adolescents with, or at risk of, hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes

Hereditary cancer predisposition syndromes (HCPS) account for at least 10% of paediatric cancers.1 Li‐Fraumeni syndrome (LFS) is a dominant HCPS caused by mutations in the TP53 gene and is associated with an 80–90% lifetime risk of cancer, commencing in infancy.2 Children of affected individuals are at 50% risk of inheriting the family mutation.

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Whole genome, transcriptome and methylome profiling enhances actionable target discovery in high-risk pediatric cancer

The Zero Childhood Cancer Program is a precision medicine program to benefit children with poor-outcome, rare, relapsed or refractory cancer. Using tumor and germline whole genome sequencing (WGS) and RNA sequencing (RNAseq) across 252 tumors from high-risk pediatric patients with cancer, we identified 968 reportable molecular aberrations.

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Most clinical anti-EGFR antibodies do not neutralize both wtEGFR and EGFRvIII activation in glioma

We discovered a previously unknown major resistance mechanism in glioma in that most EGFR domain III-targeting antibodies do not neutralize EGFRvIII

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International experience in the development of patient-derived xenograft models of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma

This multi-center study provides valuable information on the success rate of establishing patient-derived pre-clinical models of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma

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Exercise training improves vascular function and secondary health measures in survivors of pediatric oncology related cerebral insult

This study demonstrates that exercise is achievable and has positive effects on vascular function, submaximal fitness, local strength and physical activity in a population of AYA survivors of pediatric oncology related cerebral insult

Research

Activation of ERBB4 in Glioblastoma Can Contribute to Increased Tumorigenicity and Influence Therapeutic Response

The functional effects of increased ERBB4 activation identify ERBB4 as a potential prognostic and therapeutic target