Embryonal tumors of the central nervous system in children: The era of targeted therapeutics

David E. Kram, Jacob J. Henderson, Muhammad Baig, Diya Chakraborty, Morgan A. Gardner, Subhasree Biswas, Soumen Khatua

Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

24 Scopus citations

Abstract

Embryonal tumors (ET) of the central nervous system (CNS) in children encompass a wide clinical spectrum of aggressive malignancies. Until recently, the overlapping morphological features of these lesions posed a diagnostic challenge and undermined discovery of optimal treatment strategies. However, with the advances in genomic technology and the outpouring of biological data over the last decade, clear insights into the molecular heterogeneity of these tumors are now well delineated. The major subtypes of ETs of the CNS in children include medulloblastoma, atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (ATRT), and embryonal tumors with multilayered rosettes (ETMR), which are now biologically and clinically characterized as different entities. These important developments have paved the way for treatments guided by risk stratification as well as novel targeted therapies in efforts to improve survival and reduce treatment burden.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number78
JournalBioengineering
Volume5
Issue number4
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 2018

Keywords

  • ATRT
  • Central nervous system
  • Children
  • ETMR
  • Embryonal tumors
  • Medulloblastoma
  • Molecular biology
  • Targeted therapeutics

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Bioengineering

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