Upregulation of MAPK Negative Feedback Regulators and RET in Mutant ALK Neuroblastoma: Implications for Targeted Treatment.

Purpose: Activating ALK mutations are present in almost 10% of primary neuroblastomas and mark patients for treatment with small-molecule ALK inhibitors in clinical trials. However, recent studies have shown that multiple mechanisms drive resistance to these molecular therapies. We anticipated that detailed mapping of the oncogenic ALK-driven signaling in neuroblastoma can aid to identify potential fragile nodes as additional targets for combination therapies.

Adverse drug reactions leading to hospitalization in children.

During a three-year period of prospective epidemiologic surveillance for adverse drug reactions in a pediatric population, 72 (2.0%) of 3,556 medical admissions were the result of adverse drug reactions. Antineoplastic drugs were most frequently cited as causing a reaction leading to admission.