To achieve the Máxima's mission of curing every child with cancer with optimal quality of life, scientific research is crucial. Laurens van der Flier, managing director research: 'Together with its donors, KiKa makes new research projects in the field of childhood cancer possible. Each of the fifteen new projects contributes to achieving the shared mission of the Máxima and KiKa. We are very grateful to KiKa for this.'
CAR-T development for solid tumors
CAR T-cell therapy is a successful immunotherapy for children with leukemia. Immune cells from the child are modified in the laboratory and returned to the child to detect and destroy cancer cells. However, this therapy has less effect on solid tumors. This is due in part to barriers around the tumor. To improve its effectiveness, Prof. Dr. Claudia Rössig, affiliated research group leader, and Dr. Adeel Saleem, head of the cell and gene therapy unit, want to add IL-18 to CAR T-cells. IL-18 is an immune messenger and danger signal that amplifies CAR T-cells and activates other immune cells to initiate a powerful immune system response against the cancer cells. The CAR T-cells recognize the feature B7H3 found on the tumor cells of many different types of solid tumors, including neuroblastoma and Ewing sarcoma. The researchers are selecting the most suitable CAR T-cells and testing them in a mouse model. In the future, the results may be used to initiate a clinical trial with CAR T-cells for children with B7H3-positive solid tumors.
Risk factors for second tumors better understood
Survivors of childhood cancer have an increased risk of acquiring new tumors in later life. It is not yet sufficiently clear which groups are most at risk. More knowledge is needed to improve care for these groups and make treatments less harmful for future patients. Dr. Jop Teepen, postdoctoral researcher in the Kremer group, Dr. Heleen van der Pal, internist working at the LATER clinic, and research group leader Prof. Dr. Leontien Kremer are therefore starting a study to gain more insight into the risk of lung cancer, thyroid cancer and melanoma in survivors. To this end, they are combining data from 56,000 survivors from six international studies. This will provide new knowledge about risk factors, with which screening for second tumors in survivors of childhood cancer and treatments for childhood cancer can be improved in the future.
Better recognition of hereditary Wilms tumor
Cancer is caused by DNA abnormalities, which can occur spontaneously or by hereditary predisposition. In one-third of Wilms tumors, the most common kidney cancer in children, hereditary predisposition plays a role. Hereditary predisposition is often recognized by characteristics such as congenital defects or cancer in the family, but this is not always successful. Therefore, several Máxima researchers, led by research group leader Prof. Dr. Roland Kuiper, are investigating whether a hereditary predisposition for Wilms tumors can be better detected by looking at DNA patterns in the tumor. This will help provide children and families with more targeted information and reduce the number of times we find a hereditary factor by chance. The results also contribute to other research, such as developing new treatments.
Development of rhabdoid tumors
To better understand the formation of malignant rhabdoid tumors, research group leader Dr. Jarno Drost, together with Dr. Elzo de Wit of the Netherlands Cancer Institute (NKI), is going to investigate the role of the so-called BAF protein complex. Malignant rhabdoid tumors are characterized by a genetic defect in one of the components of this complex, but exactly how this works is unclear. A better understanding of these processes may help identify vulnerabilities in these tumors that could potentially be targets for a new therapy. In addition, the researchers expect that this fundamental knowledge will provide a wealth of information relevant to understanding childhood cancer.
KiKa is an important partner of the Prinses Máxima Center. KiKa supports pediatric cancer research at the Máxima through core funding and has already made numerous research projects possible.