Researchers from the Children’s Cancer Hospital at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center have discovered a new drug combination that hinders tumor growth in neuroblastoma, a childhood cancer.

By combining a novel multi-kinase inhibitor, vandetanib, with 13-cis-retinoic acid (CRA), a drug often used for severe acne, researchers from the Children’s Cancer Hospital at M. D. Anderson found that the two therapies reduced neuroblastoma tumors by 86 percent in pre-clinical tests.

Peter Zage, MD, PhD, who specializes in neuroblastoma at the Children’s Cancer Hospital, received this year’s Young Investigator Award from ASPHO and was selected to present his research today in a special platform session.

‘By itself, vandetanib inhibited tumor growth by two-thirds and decreased blood vessel formation around neuroblastoma tumors in mice,’ says Zage. ‘When combined with CRA, the impact was even greater on tumor growth.’

Vandetanib blocks a family of endothelial growth factors and receptors that promote tumor growth, as well as the RET oncogene, which can signal neuroendocrine cells to develop into neuroblastoma cells. Although commonly used in treatment for neuroblastoma, CRA by itself does not have a significant impact against the childhood cancer. However, it works in combination therapy to differentiate neuroblastoma cells into mature benign neural cells.

Currently, there is a Phase 1 clinical trial open for children with multiple-relapsed neuroblastoma to further study the new therapy combination. This trial is the first in the world to test vandetanib in children.

Zage says in addition to the pediatric patients enrolled in the Phase 1 trial, adult patients with lung cancer have received vandetanib and have tolerated the novel drug well.

Release Date: April 24, 2009
Source: University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center