Expression of tumour suppressor genes and oncogenes in brain development and paediatric brain tumours

Mr Eric Ballantyne
University Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Royal Liverpool University Hospital
April 1995-March 1997
Medulloblastoma is a malignant brain tumour that still kills about 50% of affected children. This project tried to find genetic changes in the tumour that might explain its poor outcome and encourage new treatments. The most significant finding was that the amount of dead and dying cells in the tumour (called apoptosis) before treatment was the best predictor of the subsequent response to treatment. A higher proportion of dying cells was found in patients with the worst outcome. This knowledge may be used to improve selection of children for particular courses of chemotherapy.