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Pediatric cancers: Institut Curie’s expertise at the forefront of the international scene

Press Release

11 October 2023

Meeting of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology (SIOP) 2023

Pediatric cancers: Institut Curie’s expertise at the forefront of the international scene

From October 11 to 14, 2023, in Ottawa (Canada), the world’s scientific and medical community comes together to present the latest breakthroughs in pediatric oncology. Physicians and researchers from Institut Curie will in attendance with promising announcements to improve treatment of young patients. It will be an opportunity to communicate the excellent results of a new targeted therapy to treat the youngest patients suffering from infantile fibrosarcoma, and more effective and less invasive innovative therapeutic strategies for treating certain brain tumors and retinoblastoma.

“Through the progress achieved over the past thirty years, the survival rate for children with cancer is over 80% at 5 years, but more progress needs to be made. For these sick chidlren and their families, research is crucial in order to find new paths to recovery with the fewest possible side effects. At Institut Curie,, through our dedicated center: SIREDO (Care, Innovation & Research in Childhood, Adolescent & Young-Adult Oncology), our teams work each day to innovate and develop new therapeutic solutions and improve treatment. The attendance of our experts at the SIOP meeting is testimony to the quality of the work performed“ agree Prof. Alain Puisieux, Director of the Institut Curie Research Center and Prof. Steven Le Gouill, director of the Hospital Group at Institut Curie.

 

- Institut Curie’s major announcements at SIOP 2023 -

 

Infant cancer /

- Larotrectinib: a brand-new targeted therapy for infantile fibrosarcoma which is 80% more effective than classic treatments, and which is administered very easily in the form of a syrup.

- A study to analyze spontaneous regressions in infantile fibrosarcoma. 

Liquid biopsies /

- Combining two latest-generation circulating tumor DNA sequencing techniques to improve diagnosis and treatment of rhabdomyosarcoma, the most common malignant mesenchymal tumor in children and adolescents.

- Improving treatment of retinoblastoma to map genetic anomalies using a sample of a few droplets of ocular fluid.

Proton therapy /

Results reveal the utility of combining surgery and proton therapy in the treatment of craniopharyngioma, a rare brain tumor, achieving improved quality of life, in particular enabling children to attend normal schooling

The detailed results of each study are presented in the annexed factsheets

 

Key figures and info

- 370 new patients (children and adolescents) treated each year at Institut Curie

- 70 scientists, 60 health professionals, 6 research teams

SIREDO (Care, Innovation & Research in Childhood, Adolescent & Young-Adult Oncology): France’s leading center for pediatric oncology care and research.

Institut Curie’s SIREDO center is headed by Dr. Olivier Delattre, pediatric oncologist and director of the Cancer, Heterogeneity, Instability and Plasticity unit (Inserm, Institut Curie) and winner of the Inserm 2022 Grand Prix.

 

 

 

 

 

Oral communications at SIOP 2023 /

SOFT TISSUE SARCOMAS session, October 14, 2023

> Comparison of Clinical Outcomes of Patients With Infantile Fibrosarcoma Treated With Larotrectinib in the SCOUT Study Versus Historical Cohort - THE EPI-VITRAKI STUDY (Dr. Daniel Orbach, speaker)

> Should we consider alveolar soft part sarcomas in children and young adults in the same way? The French National Netsarc+ Network experience (Dr. Daniel Orbach, last author)

> Sequential genomic analysis using a multisample/multiplatform approach to better define rhabdomyosarcoma progression and relapse (Dr. Gaelle Pierron, last author)

INTERESTING SOLID TUMORS session, October 14, 2023

> Does spontaneous infantile fibrosarcoma regression exist? (Dr. Daniel Orbach, speaker)