Breast Cancer Drug Shows Promise in Treating Aggressive Childhood Brain Tumour
A groundbreaking study, funded by the US National Institutes of Health and the Seattle Children's Brain Tumour Endowment, has identified Ixabepilone, a breast cancer drug, as a potential game-changer in treating medulloblastoma, an aggressive childhood brain tumour. The research, led by The University of Queensland's Diamantina Institute and WEHI in Melbourne, was published in Genome Medicine.
The discovery was made possible by a genetic map of medulloblastoma, created by the research team. This map helped pinpoint Ixabepilone, typically used for breast cancer, as a promising treatment for the childhood brain tumour. The drug, developed, produced, and marketed by Bristol-Myers Squibb, has shown remarkable results in preclinical models. It has demonstrated the ability to block tumour growth and significantly extend survival rates. Moreover, it has led to a 'dramatic survival benefit' with very little sign of remaining tumour following treatment. This is the second drug identified using the genetic map that has shown high effectiveness in treating medulloblastoma. The potential of the genetic map to find other treatments for this disease is now being explored.
The successful identification of Ixabepilone as a potential treatment for medulloblastoma marks a significant step forward in the fight against this aggressive childhood brain tumour. The genetic map, which facilitated this discovery, holds promise for finding further treatments. The research, published in Genome Medicine with the DOI 10.1186/s13073-00920-z, offers hope for improved outcomes for children diagnosed with medulloblastoma.
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