Understanding and developing treatments for a rare and aggressive cancer in adolescents and young adults.
Official title: Desmoplastic small round cell tumor: harnessing new insights and new models
Funded at Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research · NIH-10987961 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at a tough type of cancer called desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT) that mainly affects teens and young adults, and the researchers are creating special mice to better understand how certain gene changes cause this cancer, hoping to find new ways to treat it.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $527,904 |
| NIH project number | 1U01CA294124-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-10987961 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents and young adults diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumor.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with other types of cancers or those who do not have the specific genetic alterations associated with DSRCT may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on desmoplastic small round cell tumor (DSRCT), a highly aggressive cancer primarily affecting adolescents and young adults. The team aims to create a genetically engineered mouse model to study the mechanisms behind the EWSR1-WT1 gene fusion, which drives this cancer. By using advanced genome editing techniques, they will explore how additional genetic changes, such as ARID1A loss, contribute to tumor development. This work seeks to uncover new therapeutic strategies that could lead to more effective treatments for patients with DSRCT.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to the development of targeted therapies that significantly improve outcomes for patients with DSRCT.
How similar studies have gone: While research on DSRCT is limited, similar approaches using genetically engineered models have shown promise in understanding other cancers and developing targeted therapies.
Where this research is happening
-
Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ladanyi, Marc — Sloan-Kettering Inst Can Research
- Study coordinator: Ladanyi, Marc
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.