A cancer diagnosis is always devastating and is especially overwhelming when the patient is a child. This is why the CURE Childhood Cancer Foundation is on a mission to advance research that will bring an end to childhood cancers.
The foundation prioritizes research that is on the fast track to discovering new treatments in the next few years and research into hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Over the past 12 years, the foundation has invested more than $45 million in research at leading pediatric cancer research institutions across the United States.
Recently, Raushan Kurmasheva, PhD, Assistant Professor at the Greehey Children’s Cancer Research Institute and the Department of Molecular Medicine at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, was awarded a $330,000 Translation to Cure (T2C) award from the CURE foundation.
The two-year grant will fund her research project titled “Advancing Innovative and Effective Therapies for Children with Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors.”
Malignant Rhabdoid Tumors are a rare, fast-growing cancer that is most common in infants and toddlers. This cancer often begins in the kidneys but can also occur in soft tissues and the brain. Five-year survival rates for this type of cancer are 20-25%. Current treatments for this cancer are surgery, aggressive chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, and radiation therapy (if the child is over six months old).
The project will explore a novel combination therapy using next-generation selective poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors and DNA-damaging agents to target tumors.
Kurmasheva said there are few treatment options for this type of cancer, and there is an urgent need for more effective therapies. For young infants with MRT, for example, radiotherapy is not an option. She said the new therapy they are developing has strong potential for clinical translational value. Through this project, her team will establish preclinical data that will support future clinical trials with the ultimate goal of improving outcomes for children with aggressive malignancies.
“Malignant rhabdoid tumors mostly affect babies and toddlers under the age of 3,” said Kurmasheva. “These very young patients have very few treatment options. With support from the CURE Childhood Cancer Foundation, we will develop therapies that not only shrink tumors but also avoid toxic side effects, ensuring treatments are safe and help preserve the children’s long-term health. Our goal is to bring new hope to children and families facing this heartbreaking diagnosis.”