Research on childhood cancer predisposition receives SEK 15 million from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund

Genetic Childhood Cancer Predisposition

About 350 children are affected by cancer in Sweden each year. In recent years, research has shown that genetic predisposition is much more common in childhood cancer than previously thought and that at least 10% of all children affected by cancer have congenital genetic changes as a contributing cause of their disease. Genetically-caused predisposition is more common among children with cancers that normally only occur in adults, children who suffer from rare tumor forms, multiple tumors or various cancers, children with several close relatives who have cancer at an early age, children who respond with unusually severe toxicity reactions, and children with various syndromes and malformations.

GMS-BTB Working Committee on Childhood Cancer: Introduction of a new working method for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of Childhood Cancer Predisposition (ChiCaP)

The purpose of the research project is to identify congenital genetic changes in children with cancer, which means that treatment should be modified to avoid serious side effects or therapy resistance and to find situations when genetic guidance should be offered to the family. The aim is also to discover new genes and signaling pathways that can be used as targets for therapy and to contribute to the development of control programs. Together with GMS-BTB AU Childhood Cancer, we will develop a diagnostic flow of clinical studies, genetic counseling, genetic testing of the entire genetic mass, so-called whole-genome sequencing of tumor, children and in some cases parents, which must be ready to be implemented in the clinical routine during the project period final. The goal is to be able to offer patients faster and more accurate diagnostics, follow-up and individualized treatment and to create better conditions for patients to be offered participation in clinical studies.

–The Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund’s great contribution to GMS-BTB AU Childhood cancer gives us the opportunity to give patients within BTB-GMS and their families a world-unique care and service, says Ann Nordgren, adjunct professor at the Department of Molecular Medicine and Surgery, Karolinska Institutet and senior consultant at the Clinical Genetics Department, Karolinska University Hospital.

Ann Nordgren has previously had project grants, project grants MT and a 6-year full-time researcher position from the Swedish Childhood Cancer Fund.