PROgnosis and THerapeutic targets in the "Ewing" family of TumourS (PROTHETS)

Basic data for this project

Description

The project through collaborative studies will define prognostic markers and new therapeutic targets in the Ewing's sarcoma family of tumours (ESFT) to provide rigorous scientific justifications for the development of clinical trials for this rare disease, which is manifested for the most part in children. The main objective of this project is to evaluate the prognostic relevance of selected markers (EWS/FLI-1 (figure 1), secondary genetic alterations, CD99, IGF-IR (figure 2), NOVH, erbB-2 and TTF1) and the effectiveness of therapeutic approaches targeting some of these molecules. Another major goal of the project is the construction of ESFT c-DNA microarrays and tissue arrays, which will be used for the analysis of different hystological subtypes of ESFT, primary and metastatic tumors and poor and good responders to chemotherapy. This will lead to: the definition of forthcoming risk-adapted strategies and targeted molecular treatments to be advantageously combined with established therapies; improved quality of life and survival for ESFT patients; prevention on risk in groups at risk.