Activation of the mTOR pathway has been observed in osteosarcoma, however the inhibition of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) complex 1 has had limited results in osteosarcoma treatment. Certain metabolic pathways can be altered by mTOR activation, which can affect survival. Our aim was to characterize the mTOR profile and certain metabolic alterations in pediatric osteosarcoma to determine the interactions between the mTOR pathway and metabolic pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFErdheim-Chester disease (ECD) is a rare histiocytic disorder, characterized by the xanthomatous infiltration of tissues by CD68-positive and CD1a-/CD100-negative foamy histiocytes. In childhood, ECD is exceptionally rare, and only a dozen cases have been published so far. The cooccurence of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and ECD is even rarer.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is a malignant tumor of mesenchymal origin and comprises the largest category of soft-tissue sarcomas both in children and adolescents. From a pediatric oncology point of view, RMS has traditionally been classified into alveolar (ARMS) and embryonal (ERMS) subtypes. The anatomical localization of the tumor may vary, but commonly involve the head/neck regions, male and female urogenital tract or the trunk and extremities.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn spite of the improved efficacy of therapy, it still fails in 15-20 % of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) patients. Recently, altered expression of certain miRNAs (miRs) have been described in ALL with potential effect on prognosis. Presence of certain miRs (miRNA-16, -21, -24, -29b, -128b, -142-3p, -155, -223) was characterized in human lymphoma and leukemia cells by real-time PCR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMalignant tumors of mesenchymal origin are called sarcomas. Mesenchymal cells normally mature into skeletal muscle, smooth muscle, fat, fibrous tissue, bone and cartilage. Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) arises from immature mesenchymal cells that are committed to skeletal muscle lineage.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Targeting signaling pathways is an attractive approach in many malignancies. The PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway is activated in a number of human neoplasms, accompanied by lower overall and/or disease free survival. mTOR kinase inhibitors have been introduced in the therapy of renal cell carcinoma and mantle cell lymphoma, and several trials are currently underway.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFModern treatment strategies have improved the prognosis of childhood ALL; however, treatment still fails in 25-30% of patients. Further improvement of treatment may depend on the development of targeted therapies. mTOR kinase, a central mediator of several signaling pathways, has recently attracted remarkable attention as a potential target in pediatric ALL.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiffuse large B-cell lymphoma is a heterogeneous group of diseases with different responses to therapy. Targeting mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) offers a new approach to improve the treatment. mTOR inhibitors are being developed and are in clinical use in mantle cell lymphoma therapy and clinical trials are ongoing in other high-grade lymphomas as well.
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