A hope for healing

Marlee, a neuroblastoma patient, who relapsed in 2023

Marlee, a neuroblastoma patient, who relapsed in 2023

A new clinical trial could save the lives of children facing relapsed neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma, a type of cancer that forms within a patient’s autonomic nervous system cells as they grow, is considered rare: Each year in the U.S., around 800 children are diagnosed with the disease.

But when a family hears the word “neuroblastoma” from their child’s doctor, the disease no longer seems rare to them; it’s real, and it’s happening to their child.

These children, most of whom are under the age of 5, often undergo chemotherapy, surgeries, radiation, immunotherapy and stem cell transplants. Patient outcomes have improved over the years, but children diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma still face a 40% to 50% chance of relapse.

There's no known curative treatment for relapsed neuroblastoma, and patients who relapse face a survival rate of just 10%. Through research and clinical trials, experts around the world continue their pursuit of an effective course of treatment to save the lives of children facing this disease.

Chelsee Greer, D.O., is one of those experts. As the neuroblastoma program director at Cook Children’s, she'll oversee our participation in a new clinical trial, stimulator of interferon genes or STING, that builds upon existing antibody therapies to help the patient’s immune system kill treatment-resistant neuroblastoma cells.

“Antibody therapies have been a game changer for high-risk neuroblastoma. They have improved outcomes drastically,” said Dr. Greer. “But we know that some [cancer] cells are still able to escape the antibody therapies, so we’re looking at new ways to enhance them.”

Antibody therapies use custom-engineered antibodies to help the immune system fight diseases, including cancer. The immune system consists of many different types of cells, including a cell known as a “natural killer,” or NK. This type of cell can kill neuroblastoma cells but is often only present in small numbers, especially in immunocompromised patients.

“Because we give chemotherapies, a lot of our patients are immunocompromised and might not have as many NK cells,” said Dr. Greer. “The thought behind this trial is that we’ll give the antibody therapy, then on day eight, the patient will receive an external infusion of NK cells, which will hopefully boost the response to the antibody therapy.”

More than 60% of childhood cancer survivors will face serious health complications later in their lives, including infertility, heart failure and even secondary cancers. According to Dr. Greer, antibody therapies are far gentler than the treatments of the past.

“A lot of survivors have a lot of long-term side effects. I think that things like antibody therapies could give these patients a better quality of life, not just survival of the disease,” Dr. Greer said. “So, if we can boost the ability for the antibody therapies to work better, then perhaps we could also have healthier survivors.” Cook Children’s participation in clinical trials like STING wouldn’t be possible without community support. Childhood cancers frequently lack dedicated drug development, relying instead on adaptations from adult treatments. Pharmaceutical support is limited due to lower patient numbers in pediatrics, especially for cancers like neuroblastoma, which primarily affects patients under the age of 5.

“Four percent of the national budget [for cancer research] goes to childhood cancer every year,” Dr. Greer said. “Individual donors and [nonprofit] organizations really are what drive a lot of the progress we’ve made in childhood cancer.”

As experts like Dr. Greer continue their pursuit of gentler, more effective treatments for childhood cancer, know that your support is more than a donation. It’s hope for kids as they continue their fight.