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The Protumorigenic Role Of Caspase-8 In Neuroblastoma, Devin Drew Twitchell
The Protumorigenic Role Of Caspase-8 In Neuroblastoma, Devin Drew Twitchell
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
Neuroblastoma (NB), the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, accounts for 15% of cancer-related deaths in pediatric patients. Caspase-8 (casp8), a proapoptotic protein, is silenced in approximately, 50-70% of neuroblastoma patient samples. Loss of casp8 has been suggested to increase NB metastasis and correlated, in some studies, with advanced-stage NB. Furthermore, decreased casp8 expression may facilitate neuroblastoma tumorigenesis by protecting cells from cell death mediated by either integrins or chemotherapeutics. Paradoxically, casp8 expression is maintained in 30-50% of NB patient samples giving rise to the possibility that casp8 may provide selective advantages for NB tumorigenesis. Caspase-8 is shown to …
The Role Of Multi-Drug Resistance Associated Protein 4 And P-Glycoprotein In Resistance Of Neuroblastoma To Topotecan And Irinotecan, Patricia Kellie Turner
The Role Of Multi-Drug Resistance Associated Protein 4 And P-Glycoprotein In Resistance Of Neuroblastoma To Topotecan And Irinotecan, Patricia Kellie Turner
Theses and Dissertations (ETD)
High-risk neuroblastoma presents a significant therapeutic challenge because the 5-year survival rate remains less than 30% despite the use of surgery, multi-agent chemotherapy, radiation, and autologous bone marrow transplant. Novel therapeutic modalities are under development. The camptothecin analogs topotecan and irinotecan have been identified as successful cytotoxic agents. For topotecan, pharmacokinetically guided dosing to achieve a systemic exposure associated with preclinical anti-tumor activity in neuroblastoma xenograft models is feasible and has elicited favorable responses in children with high-risk neuroblastoma. However, some children with high-risk disease did not respond to the putatively effective topotecan systemic exposure. These children represent a subset …