24 Mar New article from the MIRCADE team. A promising breakthrough in the fight against hepatoblastoma

Posted at 12:08h in News, Uncategorized by

A promising breakthrough in the fight against hepatoblastoma

Team 6 MIRCADE (Methods and Innovations for Research on Childhood Cancers), led byDr. Christophe Grosset , a Research Director at Inserm, has just published a significant article in the prestigious journal Molecular Cancer, shedding new light on hepatoblastoma, the most common form of liver cancer in children. This work is part of a translational research initiative aimed at identifying new therapeutic solutions and accelerating their transition to clinical practice.

Hepatoblastoma is a rare liver tumor that primarily affects children under the age of five. While current treatment strategies, which combine chemotherapy and surgery, generally yield good results, aggressive or chemotherapy-resistant forms of this cancer continue to be associated with a poor prognosis, underscoring the need to develop new targeted approaches.

In this study, researchers demonstrated that the EZH2 protein promotes the development of hepatoblastoma, particularly the most aggressive tumors. They then targeted the EZH2 protein with a specific inhibitor, GSK126, and found that the treatment-resistant cells produced significant amounts of lipids. By combining GSK126 with a statin, they were able to effectively destroy cancer cells and block tumor growth in an animal model. Typically prescribed to lower cholesterol, statins are the subject of extensive research in oncology, and their use in combination with other treatments appears very promising for many types of cancer.

These results demonstrate the potential of repurposing existing drugs as a rapid and effective way to provide new treatment options for children with cancer, particularly those with resistant and aggressive forms of the disease.

These studies, published in a leading scientific journal, attest to the high quality of the research conducted by our teams at the Bordeaux Institute of Oncology and their dynamism, and demonstrate our commitment to developing innovative approaches in pediatric oncology.

Inserm Press Release
Article published in Molecular Cancer

Thanks to our funders!

Groupama Centre-Atlantique
La Région Nouvelle-Aquitaine
La Fondation Groupama pour la Santé
l’Institut National du Cancer (INCa)
La Fondation Bergonié
the Foundation for Addies’s Research,
La Ligue Nationale contre le Cancer
Instituto de Salud Carlos III
European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program
Catalan Agency for Management of University and Research Grants
the Ramón y Cajal program of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation
Imagine for Margo
Foundation KickCancer
Aidons Marina
E.S.CA.P.E.
Eva pour la Vie
Les Récoltes de l’Espoir
Pour Emma
Scott & Co
CIBERehd
AGAUR
the Scientific Foundation of the Spanish Association Against Cancer
Fight Kids Cancer Funding Program
Foundation Kriibskrank Kanner and Federazione italiana Associazioni Genitori e Guariti Oncoematologia Pediatrica
Cris Cancer Foundation
the Agency for Management of University and Research Grants
Cassandra
Nathanaël du Rêve et de l’Espoir
Noëline ma Fille ma Bataille
Sphères
Warrior Enguerrand