Doctors Discover First Cancer Gene At City Hospital

Doctors at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia discovered the first gene that they believe might be connected to a form of neuroblastoma. Neorublastoma is a type of cancer that many doctors believe is inherited.

The doctors discovered the gene when they were decoding DNA samples from members of 10 different families who suffered from the disease. These new findings could help to advance the first genetic screening tests for those who have inherited the cancer.

Doctors diagnose 600 to 750 cases a year of the childhood cancer. About half of those cases clear up spontaneously. In the other half, the disease has a 30 percent to 40 percent survival rate.

ALK-inhibiting drugs are being tested against lymphoma and lung cancer in adults, and the Children’s Hospital researchers plan to start testing those same drugs on high-risk neuroblastoma patients in hopes that it will help many patients.