A chromosomal abnormality in children with a deadly form of brain cancer is linked with a poorer chance of survival, clinician scientists at The University of Nottingham have discovered.

A study led by Dr Janet Shipley from The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London in collaboration with Dr Mauro Delorenzi from the SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics in Lausanne has shown that a simple genetic test could help predict the aggressiveness of rhabdomyosarcoma tumours in children.

A recent analysis of clinical trial results performed by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) demonstrate that a chromosomal abnormality—specifically, the absence (co-deletion) of chromosomes 1p and 19q—have definitive prognostic and predictive value for managing the treatment of adult patients with pure and mixed anaplastic oligodendrogliomas.

The process of metastasis requires that cancer cells traveling from a primary tumor find a hospitable environment in which to implant themselves and grow.

Developing a molecular fingerprint for head and neck cancer tumors could help improve diagnosis and treatment for this deadly and often-times disfiguring form of cancer.