Scientists find new way to improve survival and life expectancy for children with neuroblastoma cancer. How to use techniques that aim immunotherapy or chemotherapy for the disease do not relapse again.
Cancer can affect anyone. Regardless of sex, age, or status of a person. Not only parents, but also could whack children.
According to data from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), one of the 600 children in the world under the age of 16 years suffering from cancer. It is estimated that, in 10 years occurred 9 million cancer deaths per year.
Of the total number of cancer patients, 4 percent of them children. Cancer in children is 4.9 percent of cancer at all ages. Childhood cancer more common in males (53.5 percent) than women (46.5 percent). One type of cancer that often affects children is neuroblastoma. This cancer ranked second most after leukemia.
Neuroblastoma cancer is cancer that damage the sympathetic nervous system-the nerves that respond to stress. Cancer treatment in this type of procedure usually runs a combination of surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and transplantation. However, two recent studies published in leading journals in the world this week put forward new ways to improve continuity and quality of life for children with neuroblastoma cancer patients with severe and medium enterprises.
Researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia found that a new type of immunotherapy can improve survival as much as two years in children with neuroblastoma cancer worse. This new therapy uses "service" of biological agents to stimulate the body's own immunity to fight disease.
With the discovery of this treatment, ultimately can improve survival by 20 percent compared to just running the standard treatment.The result of this finding is the first substantial increase in the rate of cure is revealed by the researchers for more than a decade.
Other studies mentioned, during the eight-year clinical trial involving patients with intermediate neuroblastoma cancer conducted at the University of California, San Francisco, United States, shows that it is possible the survival rate of patients increased about 96 percent by using chemotherapy, less than the previous believed.
Chemotherapy also can prevent patients from harm caused by drug side effects of cancer. A study on immunotherapy is funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While chemotherapy-related research funded by the National Cancer Institute in all states of the United States.
The result of these two studies can be read in an edition of 30 September 2010, the journal New England Journal of Medicine. Speaking of immunotherapy procedures, study co-author, Dr. John M. Maris, director of the Center for Childhood Cancer Research at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, United States, said as quoted by page medicalnewstoday.com, "We hope these findings will change clinical practice, setting standards new high of treatment for this deadly disease that often. "
Maris also sat as a committee member of neuroblastoma at The Children's Oncology Group (COG), a cooperative research organization that is behind these two studies. He is also a coauthor in the research about chemotherapy, also join the related studies in immunotherapy.
Currently, about 6 out of 10 child patients with neuroblastoma cancer were successfully treated
with treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. However, it goes not so well in children who have other forms of disease. Doctors estimate that about 40 children each year in the UK can benefit by this immunotherapy treatment.
with treatments such as surgery or chemotherapy. However, it goes not so well in children who have other forms of disease. Doctors estimate that about 40 children each year in the UK can benefit by this immunotherapy treatment.
Immunotherapy treatment works by looking for neuroblastoma cells, which still survive despite previous treatment, then enter the specific antibody molecules on its surface. These antibodies will mobilize the child's immune system to attack and destroy neuroblastoma cells remaining.
"Initial results of research in the United States showed children receiving immunotherapy treatments have possible cancer again smaller than children who do not receive this treatment. Hopefully, this treatment can improve child survival would be, "says Dr. Penelope Brock, a consultant pediatric oncologist at Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, England.
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