Improving the Efficacy of Retinoid Therapy in Childhood Neuroblastoma [ 2000 - 2002 ]

Research Grant

Researchers: Prof Glenn Marshall (Principal investigator)

Brief description Cancer is still the commonest disease causing death in chilhood. Childhood neuroblastoma is a cancer of the nerve tissue which presents usually as a widely spread malignancy, which responds poorly to conventional therapy, indicating the need for novel treatment approaches. Vitamin A derivatives, or retinoids, given in addition to conventional therapy improves the cure rate for children with advanced neuroblastoma to 50%. We have shown that one likely mechanism of retinoid resistance is a deficiency of retinoic acid receptor beta, which is a necessary factor in the neuroblastoma cell for converting the retinoid anti-cancer signal into an irreversible cellular change. In this project we will define why some neuroblastoma cells express low levels of this protein and test new retinoid therapies.

Funding Amount $AUD 295,336.78

Funding Scheme NHMRC Project Grants

Notes Standard Project Grant