A new type of cancer cell that “warrants urgent investigation” has been discovered in childhood leukaemia and could impact clinical care. Research into new or repurposed treatments that target this new cell type could give hope to children and families worldwide. Read more: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1105676

Cancer treatment balances on a razor’s edge. On one side, physicians must use enough of a drug to kill tumor cells effectively. On the other side, a high drug concentration can be harmful to a patient’s normal cells. In children, the difference between the two, called the therapeutic index, is small.  Read more: https://www.stjude.org/research/progress/2025/finding-balance-between-efficacy-and-toxicity-in-pediatric-cancer-treatment.html

A research team from the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, China, reported in Pediatric Discovery  that thiostrepton can significantly suppress rhabdomyosarcoma progression by targeting the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway. Read more: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20251027/Study-finds-evidence-for-repurposing-thiostrepton-as-an-anti-rhabdomyosarcoma-drug.aspx

The FDA granted rare pediatric disease designation to iopofosine-131 for treating relapsed or refractory pediatric high-grade glioma.   Read more: https://www.curetoday.com/view/fda-grants-rare-pediatric-designation-for-iopofosine-131-in-glioma-subset

In a city, coworking hubs bring people and ideas together. Inside cancer cells, similar hubs form—but instead of fueling progress, they supercharge disease. That’s what researchers at the Texas A&M University Health Science Center (Texas A&M Health) have discovered inside the cells of a rare and aggressive kidney cancer. Read more: https://www.futurity.org/rna-droplet-hubs-cancer-growth-3302132/

What if a single test could simultaneously contribute to the diagnosis, characterization, and treatment guidance of childhood cancer—while helping avoid toxic or potentially unnecessary treatments? Read more: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-rapid-comprehensive-genetic-diagnosis-pediatric.html

When the researchers increased the amount of HIF2α in neuroblastoma cells with many copies of the MYCN gene, they observed a significant reduction in MYCN protein levels. Read more: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-10-higher-hif2-aggressive-childhood-cancer.html

A new study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota Medical School has identified genetic factors that may help explain why African American children are less likely to develop acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) but tend to face worse outcomes when they do. Read more: https://twin-cities.umn.edu/news-events/university-minnesota-study-uncovers-new-genetic-factors-childhood-leukemia