Neuroblastoma is unique in the sense that at least ten percent of tumors regress spontaneously without treatment, even if they have already started to metastasize. “Neuroblastoma takes a very variable course. In some cases, the tumor disappears by itself, while other patients die in spite of intensive treatment,“ explains Dr. Frank Westermann of the Tumorgenetics Division headed by Professor Dr. Manfred Schwab. “Using our test it will be possible to assess the individual patient’s risk more accurately.“ This will enable scientists not only to better customize treatment to the individual case, but also to save patients with favorable prognosis the unnecessary strain of chemotherapy.
In the largest neuroblastoma study worldwide, Dr. Westermann and Dr. Benedikt Brors of the DKFZ, jointly with Dr. Matthias Fischer of Cologne University, have investigated tumor material of 251 patients. The research project was supported by the National Genome Research Network (NGFN) and the German Cancer Aid (Deutsche Krebshilfe). The scientists identified, at first in 77 tumors, 144 genes whose activity is characteristic for the course of the disease. Some of these genes are active in neuroblastomas that tend to be more malignant, while others are read more intensively in relatively benign tumors. Using a gene chip (microarray), the scientists can now study these gene activities in tumor samples and subsequently predict the further course of the disease.
The investigators tested the gene chip in another 174 tumor samples. The genetic test proved to be highly reliable: The course of the disease was predicted with 93 percent accurateness. This is substantially better than with current methods of neuroblastoma classification. In addition, the genetic test was able to filter out patients who would not have been treated according to conventional categorization, but whose disease took an unexpectedly aggressive course. In these cases, early treatment could be life-saving.
Publication: André Oberthuer, Frank Berthold, Patrick Warnat, Barbara Hero, Yvonne Kahlert, Rüdiger Spitz, Karen Ernestus, Rainer König, Stefan Haas, Roland Eils, Manfred Schwab, Bedenikt Brors, Frank Westermann and Matthias Fischer: Gene Expression-Based Classification of Neuroblastoma Patients Using a Customized Oligonucleotide Microarray Outperforms Current Clinical Risk Stratification. Journal of Clinical Oncology, Band 24, 1. November 2006
About DKFZ
With more than 3,000 employees, the German Cancer Research Center (Deutsches Krebsforschungszentrum, DKFZ) is Germany’s largest biomedical research institute. DKFZ scientists identify cancer risk factors, investigate how cancer progresses and develop new cancer prevention strategies. They are also developing new methods to diagnose tumors more precisely and treat cancer patients more successfully. The DKFZ's Cancer Information Service (KID) provides patients, interested citizens and experts with individual answers to questions relating to cancer.
To transfer promising approaches from cancer research to the clinic and thus improve the prognosis of cancer patients, the DKFZ cooperates with excellent research institutions and university hospitals throughout Germany:
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT, 6 sites)
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK, 8 sites)
- Hopp Children's Cancer Center (KiTZ) Heidelberg
- Helmholtz Institute for Translational Oncology (HI-TRON Mainz) - A Helmholtz Institute of the DKFZ
- DKFZ-Hector Cancer Institute at the University Medical Center Mannheim
- National Cancer Prevention Center (jointly with German Cancer Aid)
The DKFZ is 90 percent financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research and 10 percent by the state of Baden-Württemberg. The DKFZ is a member of the Helmholtz Association of German Research Centers.