Ewing sarcoma and rhabdomyosarcoma are cancers that overwhelmingly impact children. They’re soft tissue cancers that are thankfully rare because treatment options are limited, according to pediatric cancer researcher Yogesh Gupta, PhD, an associate professor at Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute at UT Health San Antonio.
“The drug treatment regimen has not been changed in the last three decades,” Gupta said.
Kids with these types of cancers will typically endure chemotherapy and radiation, and the aggressive treatment regimen can leave them with lifelong heart issues, problems with bone growth and development, impaired fertility, cognitive challenges, and an increased risk of secondary cancers.
Since 2004, UT Health San Antonio, Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute’s (Greehey CCRI) mission has been to advance scientific knowledge relevant to childhood cancer, contribute to understanding its causes, and accelerate the translation of knowledge into novel therapies. Greehey CCRI strives to have a national and global impact on childhood cancer by discovering, developing, and disseminating new scientific knowledge. Our mission consists of three key areas — research, clinical, and education.