Using blood tests to improve prognosis and monitoring of neuroblastoma in children
Official title: Liquid biopsy approaches to inform neuroblastoma prognosis and disease monitoring
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11056092 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking for new ways to use blood tests to help doctors understand how well children with high-risk neuroblastoma are responding to treatment and if they might have a chance of relapse, so they can tailor the best care for each child.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R37 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | April 11, 2022 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $645,767 |
| NIH project number | 5R37CA262781-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11056092 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are children aged 0-11 years diagnosed with high-risk neuroblastoma.
✕Less likely to help
Patients with low-risk neuroblastoma or those outside the age range of 0-11 years may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research focuses on developing new blood-based biomarkers to better predict outcomes for children with high-risk neuroblastoma. By analyzing cell-free DNA from blood samples, the study aims to identify specific genetic modifications that indicate how well a child is responding to treatment and whether they are at risk of relapse. The methodology involves a novel approach that examines epigenetic changes in DNA, which can provide insights into the biology of the cancer. This could lead to more personalized treatment strategies for affected children.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the ability to predict treatment outcomes and tailor therapies for children with neuroblastoma.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has shown promise in using blood-based biomarkers for cancer prognosis, indicating that this approach could be effective.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Applebaum, Mark Andrew — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Applebaum, Mark Andrew
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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.