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Investigators identify signaling pathway that may affect pediatric osteosarcoma
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Investigators at The University of Texas MD Anderson Children’s Cancer Hospital found that blocking the Notch signaling pathway may decrease the spread of pediatric bone cancer.
The research team, led by Dennis Hughes, MD, PhD, an assistant professor at the hospital, showed that blocking the Notch pathway in mice decreased metastases in the animals’ lungs 15-fold.
“Knowing the initial results from blocking Notch in mice, we are encouraged to keep investigating the entire metastasis process, so we can find additional therapies and targets to prevent cancer from spreading and growing,” Hughes said in a press release from the center. He noted that additional research may reveal findings related to other solid tumors, such as those occurring in the breast, prostate and colon.
Hughes discussed these findings and others exploring the roles that the Notch pathway and Hes1 gene play in promoting metastases of osteosarcoma at the 42nd Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology in Boston.
Approximately 400 children and teens younger than 20 years are diagnosed with osteosarcoma, and most of them present with cancer that has already metastasized. The primary destination for the spreading cancer is the lungs, which accounts for more than 35% of pediatric patients who die from osteosarcoma, according to the release.
Hughes said Notch and Hes1 expression may correlate with patient progress. In a small, retrospective patient-sample study, he found that 39% of patients with high expression levels of Hes1 survived 10 years compared with 60% of those who had lower levels of the gene.
“By defining vital signaling pathways in bone sarcomas, we hope small molecule inhibitors can be applied, leading to longer survival and reducing morbidity and late effects from intensive chemotherapy,” Hughes said in the release.
For more information:
- Hughes D. O159. Presented at: the 42nd Congress of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology; Oct. 21-24, 2010; Boston.