Dr Jessica Taylor Credit: CRUK Cambridge Institute
Cambridge researchers are using new techniques to distinguish different types of medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumour in children. Dr Jessica Taylor Credit: CRUK Cambridge Institute With one in four children with this tumour type suffering long-term memory loss and speech issues after surgery, it is important that we work towards improving diagnostic methods which avoid surgery Jessica Taylor Funded by The Brain Tumour Charity, this research aims to develop new ways to diagnose medulloblastoma using minimally invasive methods, protecting the quality of life of children with this diagnosis. Medulloblastoma is the most common cancerous childhood brain tumours, accounting for 15-20% of all childhood brain tumour diagnoses. Around 52 children are diagnosed with a medulloblastoma each year in the UK. These tumours are fast growing and develop at the back of the brain in the cerebellum. Dr Jessica Taylor, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Cambridge working in Professor Richard Gilbertson's lab at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, will focus on one of the four subtypes of medulloblastoma - wingless (WNT) medulloblastoma. WNT-medulloblastoma is typically difficult to operate on, but is highly curable with chemotherapy and radiation.
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