The most common pediatric brain tumors share a common cause

[Emily]

http://www.checkorphan.org/grid/news/research/suspicions-confirmed-brain-tumors-in-children-have-a-common-cause

Suspicions Confirmed: Brain Tumors in Children Have a Common Cause

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

An overactive signaling pathway is a common cause in cases of pilocytic astrocytoma, the most frequent type of brain cancer in children. This was discovered by a network of scientists coordinated by the German Cancer Research Center (as part of the International Cancer Genome Consortium, ICGC). In all 96 cases studied, the researchers found defects in genes involved in a particular pathway. Hence, drugs can be used to help affected children by blocking components of the signaling cascade. The project is funded by the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe) and the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF). The findings are published in the latest issue of the journal "Nature Genetics".

Brain cancer is the primary cause of cancer mortality in children. Even in cases when the cancer is cured, young patients suffer from the stress of a treatment that can be harmful to the developing brain...

Some previous research looking at viral mechanisms affecting that pathway, and the relationship to cancer:

The interaction of SV40 small tumor antigen with protein phosphatase 2A stimulates the map kinase pathway and induces cell proliferation

Tissue Tropism of SV40 Transformation of Human Cells