NEW WAY OF TREATING DEADLY TEENAGE CANCER

Ewing sarcoma is a life-threatening tumour growing in bones that especially affects teenagers. In contrast to many other types of cancer, only modest advances have been made in treating Ewing sarcoma in the past two decades because it resists chemotherapy. New research shows that combining several types of chemotherapy may be more effective.

The early death of children and adolescents from the disease profoundly affects their immediate families. Researchers are also concerned because, despite intensive efforts, there have been virtually no advances in treating people with Ewing sarcoma, the second-most common form of bone cancer, from which almost half die. Now an international research team with Danish participation has discovered a possible treatment breakthrough.

This dreaded disease especially affects adolescents. The challenge is that Ewing sarcoma results from major changes in how young people regulate normal tissue instead of specific genetic mutations. This makes it harder to direct chemotherapy to the diseased tissue, making it easier for the tumour to resist treatment.

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