Lead investigator: Prof Richard Grundy, University of Nottingham
Funded by CCLG and CCLG Special Named Fund Edie’s Butterfly Appeal
Funded December 2017
Award: £111,118.87
Presently we are not able to detect childhood brain tumours at a very early stage. We cannot know at the end of treatment whether we have completely eradicated the disease, and we do not have a way to detect early recurrence (relapse).
Research into childhood leukaemia has advanced such techniques for the identification of treatment response, and can measure early response to treatment by detecting small amounts of the leukaemia signature in the blood, so-called ’minimal residual disease’. By taking serial measurements, doctors can determine whether the molecular signature of leukaemia remains low or is increasing, the latter signalling relapse at an early stage. However, such advances have not yet been applied to childhood brain tumours and is the main purpose of this research proposal.
The project seeks to identify very specific markers called ’microRNAs’, which are short sequences of molecules that are detected in the blood and the fluid surrounding the brain (cerebrospinal fluid or CSF) at diagnosis. These microRNA biomarkers can then be monitored throughout treatment and in patient follow-up. We need to identify the best microRNAs that identify, and are specific tp, ependymoma. Once the research team has done that, they will investigate stored samples of blood and fluid to see if this signal can be detected and then correlated this with the clinical information they have about the patient.
Importantly, this study is being conducted in conjunction with a clinical trial, which means that the samples will be carefully analysed and then the team will know exactly what treatments each children received. This will help build up a profile, or a molecular fingerprint, for the detection of ependymoma at various stages of the presentation, treatment and follow-up.
Project updates
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