Per Kogner

We are studying a cancer that mainly affects young children, namely neuroblastoma of the autonomic nervous system. It is in rare cases hereditary, can sometimes disappear by itself, but is usually difficult to cure and has the worst prognosis of all childhood cancers. However, through highly intensive treatment, clear improvements have occurred in the survival of those with high-risk neuroblastoma, i.a. through our research. The risk of long-term side effects of this aggressive treatment is under evaluation. On the other hand, children with mild forms of neuroblastoma may receive much less treatment today thanks to established biological understanding of the disease. We are studying the possibility of new in-depth understanding of neuroblastoma in order to find more specific, individually adapted treatment. With new methodology, we can create a cell atlas of the cells that give rise to the tumors and their interaction with each other and with the child's normal immune system. With new model systems, we are testing new forms of treatment in order to be able to apply these to children with neuroblastoma already early in the course. We collaborate with various research groups and clinical groupings both nationally and internationally. We have already treated children with new specific treatment and also established whole genome sequencing which is now done for all children with cancer. We aim for a better understanding of the cancer disease, and above all a better prognosis and quality of life for the affected children. Through our studies and collaboration with other laboratory groups as well as through unique national and international clinical collaboration, it is reasonable to expect results that are useful in everyday clinical practice. The results of these studies can also be useful for children with other cancer diagnoses, primarily concerning other nerve cell tumors such as medulloblastoma and other brain tumors, as well as for adults with cancer.

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of the autonomic nervous system which mainly affects small children. It has the worst prognosis of all childhood cancers. However, through severe intensive treatment, recent improvements in survival rates for those with the most severe variants of the disease have recently emerged. The risk of long-term side effects of this aggressive treatment is under evaluation, but above all we want find new treatment to cure more. We conduct research in the lab Now we have the opportunity, within the framework of the European cooperation in SIOPEN, to start and lead two clinical studies based on our previous research. Partly, we intend to use a medicine that has a synergistic effect with existing cytostatics, celecoxib, and use it in a randomized comparative clinical study of children with particularly aggressive resistant tumors. First, we intend to continue our studies of omega-3 fatty acids by starting a maintenance treatment with daily juice enriched with omega-3 DHA and EPA. In this way we hope to prevent late recurrence and improve the quality of life for the survivors. Better understanding of the mechanisms of the disease, but above all new and better treatment that should provide better survival with less side effects. Through national and international clinical collaboration, it is reasonable to expect results that are useful in the clinical everyday life. The results in these studies can also be of benefit to children with other cancer diagnoses, in the first instance other nerve cell tumors such as medulloblastoma and other brain tumors but also later on leukemia and other tumors and also for adults with cancer, since these are often inflammatory dependent.

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of the autonomic nervous system which mainly affects small children. It has the worst prognosis of all childhood cancers. However, through severe intensive treatment, recent improvements in survival rates for those with the most severe variants of the disease have recently emerged. The risk of long-term side effects of this aggressive treatment is under evaluation, but above all we want find new treatment to cure more. We conduct research in the lab Now we have the opportunity, within the framework of the European cooperation in SIOPEN, to start and lead two clinical studies based on our previous research. Partly, we intend to use a medicine that has a synergistic effect with existing cytostatics, celecoxib, and use it in a randomized comparative clinical study of children with particularly aggressive resistant tumors. First, we intend to continue our studies of omega-3 fatty acids by starting a maintenance treatment with daily juice enriched with omega-3 DHA and EPA. In this way we hope to prevent late recurrence and improve the quality of life for the survivors. Better understanding of the mechanisms of the disease, but above all new and better treatment that should provide better survival with less side effects. Through national and international clinical collaboration, it is reasonable to expect results that are useful in the clinical everyday life. The results in these studies can also be of benefit to children with other cancer diagnoses, in the first instance other nerve cell tumors such as medulloblastoma and other brain tumors but also later on leukemia and other tumors and also for adults with cancer, since these are often inflammatory dependent.

Neuroblastoma is a tumor of the autonomic nervous system which mainly affects small children. It has the worst prognosis of all childhood cancers. However, through severe intensive treatment, recent improvements in survival rates for those with the most severe variants of the disease have recently emerged. The risk of long-term side effects of this aggressive treatment is under evaluation, but above all we want find new treatment to cure more. We conduct research in the lab Now we have the opportunity, within the framework of the European cooperation in SIOPEN, to start and lead two clinical studies based on our previous research. Partly, we intend to use a medicine that has a synergistic effect with existing cytostatics, celecoxib, and use it in a randomized comparative clinical study of children with particularly aggressive resistant tumors. First, we intend to continue our studies of omega-3 fatty acids by starting a maintenance treatment with daily juice enriched with omega-3 DHA and EPA. In this way we hope to prevent late recurrence and improve the quality of life for the survivors. Better understanding of the mechanisms of the disease, but above all new and better treatment that should provide better survival with less side effects. Through national and international clinical collaboration, it is reasonable to expect results that are useful in the clinical everyday life. The results in these studies can also be of benefit to children with other cancer diagnoses, in the first instance other nerve cell tumors such as medulloblastoma and other brain tumors but also later on leukemia and other tumors and also for adults with cancer, since these are often inflammatory dependent.

Childhood cancer is still the most important reason why children in Sweden die from illness. Neuroblastoma, a nerve cell tumor in the sympathetic nervous system outside the brain is the most common single tumor that particularly affects small children. We have previously mapped the neuroblastoma biology and seen that inflammation contributes to the aggressiveness of tumors and, through continued studies of omega-3 fatty acids, wants to find a treatment with little side effects that potentiates chemotherapy treatment for children with neuroblastoma. We are investigating this in a clinical study.   We have also discovered an oncogene that contributes to the emergence of malignant neuroblastoma, WIP1, which is a new promising treatment target. We develop special models for these studies, and have access to newly developed specific drugs that counteract the effects of WIP1. With new treatment options that partly counteract the effects of tumor-stimulating inflammation and partly counteract tumor development and therapy resistance caused by the onkgen WIP1, children with neuroblastoma will get a better and more effective treatment. This will be able to complement current treatments and lead to better survival and cure for more affected children. Moreover, this does not have to cause side effects, but rather improved quality of life.

Childhood cancer is still the most important reason why children in Sweden die from illness. Neuroblastoma, a nerve cell tumor in the sympathetic nervous system outside the brain is the most common single tumor that particularly affects small children. We have previously mapped the neuroblastoma biology and seen that inflammation contributes to the aggressiveness of tumors and, through continued studies of omega-3 fatty acids, wants to find a treatment with little side effects that potentiates chemotherapy treatment for children with neuroblastoma. We are investigating this in a clinical study. We have also discovered an oncogene that contributes to the emergence of malignant neuroblastoma, WIP1, which is a new promising treatment target. We develop special models for these studies, and have access to newly developed specific drugs that counteract the effects of WIP1. With new treatment options that partly counteract the effects of tumor-stimulating inflammation and partly counteract tumor development and therapy resistance caused by the onkgen WIP1, children with neuroblastoma will get a better and more effective treatment. This will be able to complement current treatments and lead to better survival and cure for more affected children. Moreover, this does not have to cause side effects, but rather improved quality of life.