Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in collaboration with their partners, have made a breakthrough by becoming the first to treat MYC amplified Medulloblastoma at a genetic level. Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, in partnership with
MYC amplified Medulloblastoma is a type of brain cancer that is characterized by an abnormal increase in the MYC gene, which can drive the growth and spread of the tumor. This type of cancer is particularly aggressive and challenging to treat, making it a major concern for patients and their families.
“An oncogene called MYC is amplified in these tumors making them very susceptible to recurrence. In addition, there’s a greater risk of it spreading to other areas of the brain and down the spine,” said Siddhartha Mitra, Ph.D., assistant professor of Hematology-Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and University of Colorado Cancer Center member. “The five-year survival rate of this cancer is less than 45 percent.
Using the epigenetic drug tacedinaline, the team discovered that in addition to making tumors grow, MYC was also hiding the tumors from the various immune cells in the body. They were able to unblock what are referred to as ‘don’t eat me pathways’ that prevent macrophages in the immune system from consuming a tumor.
“Traditional adult cancer drugs don’t work well in kids because children are still developing and their normal cells divide at a rapid pace,” said Mitra. “This drug combination could potentially help not only minimize the negative impacts of traditional cancer treatment in kids but also give patients diagnosed with MYC amplified Medulloblastoma a better chance at survival.”
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