A Message from Our Medical Advisor – January, 2011 (Cont’d)

The studies you have supported are trying to find new ways to treat neuroblastoma that are more targeted, cure more kids and leave them stronger after they are done. Dr. Glade Bender is studying how to target the tumor’s ability to promote its own blood supply; if we can “choke” the tumor, we can kill it without hurting the child. Dr. Kushner is studying ways to make a child’s immune system react against neuroblastoma so, like getting a measles or chicken pox vaccine, a sick child is vaccinated against his or her own neuroblastoma. Each clinical trial requires funds for collection and analysis of data, for drugs, for correlative biologic studies, for nursing support and for the researcher's time and support staff. Thank you so much for your fundraising… it is really making a difference!

I saw one of my patients with neuroblastoma recently. She had the disease when she was 3 and now she is 20. She participated in one of our first trials, and is still teaching me what we should be doing differently. But she is healthy, strong, in college, and thinking of a career in health care. I hope that all children with neuroblastoma will make it to this point, and that our improvements in therapy will leave them with a full life, without any long-term effects of their therapy.

All my best for a great year!

Lisa Diller