Profiling and culturing of neuroblastoma and soft tissue sarcoma cells
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Establishment of in vitro and in vivo preclinical models of neuroblastoma and childhood soft tissue sarcoma cells for the development of target-driven drug treatment
IRAS ID
104182
Contact name
Susanne Gatz
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
4 years, 11 months, 29 days
Research summary
Establishment of in vitro and in vivo preclinical models of neuroblastoma and childhood soft tissue sarcoma cells for the development of target-driven drug treatment
In Childhood cancer, neuroblastoma and soft tissue sarcoma (STS), with rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) as the main childhood entity, are clinically devastating situations especially if metastatic or refractory to conventional treatment. Therefore, there is an urgent unmet need to develop new therapeutic strategies and to test novel agents that have been identified. In cancer research a lot of preclinical studies are still done on established cell lines broadly accessible to researcher but which have been cultured for years and there is great concern if these cultures truly match the original tumours pathology and if conclusions can be drawn from therapeutical preclinical studies using these cell lines. Future models need to be more predictive and better recapitulate human cancer biology than is possible with established cell lines. To evaluate agents in children with cancer, data from good preclinical models of the relevant diseases need to be available. Within this study we will develop in vitro and in vivo tumour models from fresh tissue samples from paediatric neuroblastoma and STS patients which will be collected from surplus tissue gained from routine surgical procedures before/ and during treatment of these patients. Also, genetic and gene expression studies will be performed on the tissue, the generated cultures and blood of the patients with the aim to identify abnormalities/ pathology which can be addressed with novel drugs and treatment strategies. This information and information available from other research can guide drug development using the newly established preclinical models to eventually improve treatment and outcome in children with cancer. The study will be performed at the RMH in conjunction with the ICR. The study duration is planned for 5 years.
REC name
London - Riverside Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/0254
Date of REC Opinion
18 Mar 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion