Here is a decidedly important piece of news in the medical field, which could change the lives of thousands of children. A team of Italian researchers has probably identified the causes of Neuroblastoma, which is one of the main childhood cancers. Let’s find out the study published on The Lancet.
Despite the chemotherapy infusion pump to be inserted into the brain is now a reality, unfortunately we are still far from fully understanding and eradicate once and for all the most aggressive tumors, and neuroblastoma is unfortunately one of them.
This particular tumor that develops in neuroblasts, i.e. the precursors of actual neurons, every year it records about 15,000 new cases worldwide. That is why the study conducted by prof. Mario Capasso and Achille Iolascon, an associate and full professor of medical genetics at the Federico II University of Naples and the Ceinge (Institute of Advanced Biotechnology), is fundamental.
In fact, the team managed to identify specific hereditary genetic mutations, capable of increasing the probability of developing the disease later. The professor. Capasso further states: “We analyzed the DNA of nearly 700 children with neuroblastoma and more than 800 checks using advanced sequencing, an innovative technique that manages to decode all the genes known so far in a reliable and fast way”.
As trivial as it may seem to underline it, it is not exclusively a question of research with a descriptive purpose. In fact, these results will be decisive in the race for early diagnosis, which is more than ever capable of making the difference between life and death. As Iolascon clearly states: “The results of this research have relevant clinical implications; in fact they are useful to improve the diagnosis making it more and more precocious and certain and to improve the patient’s clinical management by directing the doctor towards the use of personalized treatments“.
Albeit early we will be able to “control” the radiotherapythis study shows us that there is ample room for improvement in the medical field with related gaps only through continuous research it will be possible to fill, saving thousands of lives every year.