Brain tumours

 

We are interested in primitive neuroectodermal tumours (PNETs), the most common type of brain tumour affecting children.

Did you know?

• Brain tumours are the second most common form of cancer in children.
• Survival rates are between 50 and 70 per cent.

Our research
PNETs are an aggressive type of tumour and five-year survival rates have remained in the 50 to 70 per cent range for the last 20 years.  A significant proportion of patients do not survive and many of those who do, face serious post-treatment quality of life issues, as a result of brain surgery and chemotherapy or radiotherapy.  Our laboratory is focusing on the molecular biology of PNETs as there has been little previous research in this area and the complex features of brain tumours are only partly understood.  If we can gain a better understanding of the disease we can work towards developing safer and more effective drugs and treatments for PNET patients.  We are also looking at the relationship between neural stem cells and brain cancer stem cells in the hope of identifying deregulated genes linked to tumour development.  Our research has revealed several genes not previously linked to PNETs and these are of on-going interest to us as they represent promising new leads.

 

During 2007, we continued to recruit families for a new study looking at the effects of genetic and environmental factors on the risk of childhood brain tumours.  Families with a child with a brain tumour were invited into the study and we began collecting important information about diet, environmental exposures and occupational history as well as DNA samples.  Control children will be matched to each child who had a brain tumour, with further recruitment of both groups of children continuing through to 2010.