Childhood Cancer 2016

Prof Kyrtopoulos speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about the NewGeneris project, monitoring maternal diet and establishing biomarkers associated with childhood disease. He outlines the presence of micronuclei, among other biomarkers, as a 'warning sign' for childhood disease, and discusses food groups known to contain oncogenic chemicals. In summary, Prof Kyrtopoulos describes dietary awareness and changes by customers and food manufacturers that can reduce exposure.

Prof Dorak meets with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to discuss correlations between genetic markers and the risk of childhood leukaemia. He summarises current research into paediatric leukaemia from across Europe and America, and introduces his own work in a pilot study determining the influence of gender on risk through signalling associated with the RAS pathway. Prof Dorak sets out the future expansion of this research, including collaborations and replication studies with other teams, and discusses other genetic markers for research.

Dr Miller meets with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to discuss a survey of healthcare providers that revealed a gap in information about environmental risk factors for childhood cancer. Air pollution, folate levels and tobacco use are among the factors that affect family's risk even pre-conception. Dr Miller describes the need for wider awareness and public engagement by oncologists on regional and national levels to communicate preventative behaviours more fully.

Dr Straif meets with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to discuss risk factors of childhood leukaemia.

Dr Murray speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about his research, made possible by a grant from Children with Cancer UK. He sets out how miRNA profiles of malignant germ cell tumours identified conserved clusters in patients, which have informed screening and targeting for these 'red flags'. Dr Murray outlines the diagnostic significance of screening and possible combined therapies against these conserved mutant miRNAs for both high and low risk patient subgroups.

Dr Turner speaks with ecancer at Childhood Cancer 2016 about her work, made possible by a project grant from Children with Cancer UK. She describes the role of ALK activity in the aetiology anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and as a target for paediatric therapies following the success of crizotinib in treating ALK lung cancer. Considering the mechanisms of resistance, Dr Turner outlines how her research into screening for 'bypass tracks' might circumvent resistance in childhood disease.

Dr Grupp meets with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to discuss how engineered T cells are changing therapy of paediatric tumours.

Dr Brisson speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about polymorphisms in enzymes required for the benzene processing pathway resulting in variable susceptibility to acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). She highlights NQO1 and GSTM1 polymorphisms were associated with increased risk to differing subtypes of childhood leukaemia.

Prof Amrolia meets with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to discuss novel immunotherapies.

Dr Ghorashian speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about results from a European trial of CD19 CAR T cells to treat relapsed ALL. She describes the creation, transduction and activation of the T cell line, and that vaccination of patients did result in short term benefit. Dr Ghorashian considers that broader impact of engineered T cells, and looks forward to a second generation of CAR cells for her further research.

Dr Cheung speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about his plenary session, focussing on antibody therapy for childhood leukaemia. He describes how the engineered arms of a Bispecific T cell Engager (BiTE) can be used to deliver radiotherapy to tumours selectively.

Prof Henshaw speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about causal factors in childhood disease, most notably leukaemia. He details the established risk of background radiation and diet, but draws specific attention to air pollution associated with childhood cancer as requiring wider public awareness. Other causes discussed include parental exposure to pesticide, light levels experience during the night by pregnant women as a result of late-shift work, and the contentious association of childhood leukaemia with magnetic fields resulting from near-by powerlines.

Dr Birley speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about her research, made possible with a clinical PhD studentship from Children with Cancer UK. She describes how immunotherapy is providing an alternative treatment modality, and enabling targeteted treatment of B7H3; a biomarker she links with immune modulation in the tumour microenvironment and oncogenesis. Dr Birley outlines her hopes of isolating a single chain variable fragment to target B7H3 with greater specificity, and open up further investigative and therapeutic opportunities.

Dr Kendall speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about the sources of radiation that might lead to childhood disease. He considers the issues facing data gathering for interview-based studies, and contrasts these results with his own study of radiation-associated leukaemia, resulting from gamma ray and radon exposure, among others factors.

Dr Anderson speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to reflect on the presentations and discussions of the conference. He introduces ongoing clinical trials for treating neuroblastoma with engineered T cells.

Dr Lee meets with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 to discuss results from clinical trials of immunotherapies for neuroblastoma and acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. He describes CD19 T cells successfully treating leukaemia within the cerebrospinal fluid, and the ongoing recruitment of patients for GD2 CAR T cell treatment for osteosarcoma and neuroblastoma. In both trials, Dr Lee describes low toxicity and neurotoxicity for patients, and introduces a CD22 CAR T cell trial still enrolling patients.

Dr Straathof speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about developing novel treatments for paediatric neuroblastoma. She outlines the potential of immunotherapy, particularly Bispecific T cell Engagers (BiTEs), for the shrinkage of solid tumours.

Jessica Timms speaks with ecancer at Childhood Cancer 2016 about how environmental factors, including parental diet and behaviour, can increase childhood risk of disease development, mediated by DNA methylation. She describes the methylation process as a 'second hit' that may contribute as a driver of childhood leukaemia, and notes lesser-known exposures including pesticides, paint and caffeine as risk factors in need of wider awareness. Timms also discusses the infection hypothesis of disease development; that children who go through less social exposure may be more susceptible to DNA damage resulting from infection, and subsequently to leukaemia.

Dr Halsey speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about her research, made possible with a grant from Children with Cancer UK. She outlines the balancing of risk between relapse and treatment toxicity in paediatric acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL) patients whose diseases has spread to the brain and nervous system. Dr Halsey hopes that early identification of patients who may be most susceptible to neurotoxicity, based on biomarkers in their cerebrospinal fluid, might be an actionable target for adjuvant therapy and ensure a better quality of life for children through their later life.

Anne Kramer speaks with ecancertv at Childhood Cancer 2016 about her work towards an improved line of CD 19 CAR T cells. She describes how the single-chain variable fragment (scfv) could be a site of tumour-specific binding across multiple cancer types, and the cytotoxic capabilities of CAT CAR T cells.