A charity established in memory of a young boy who died from a rare and aggressive cancer is co-funding the first major research into the disease in 40 years. The initiative offers a renewed hope for children and families facing this devastating diagnosis.
Ben Crowther, just seven years old, passed away in 2019 after battling rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer that primarily affects children. His parents, Scott and Sarah Crowther, founded “Pass the Smile for Ben” as a special fund under the Children’s Cancer and Leukaemia Group (CCLG). The fund’s purpose is to raise money to support research and improve treatment options for young patients with this condition.
Now, thanks to the dedication of the Crowthers and the support of the CCLG and Cancer UK, a new research project is underway at the University of Southampton. This marks a significant turning point, as the last new drug to treat rhabdomyosarcoma was released in 1986. Scott Crowther emphasized the critical need for this research, stating, “The treatments for it just haven’t been funded and developed over the last 40 years.”
The research will focus on harnessing the power of the body’s own immune system, specifically natural killer (NK) cells, to develop more effective therapies. The team, led by Dr. Matthew Blunt, will be investigating a promising approach called CAR-NK therapy. This involves attaching chimeric antigen receptors (CAR) to NK immune cells, essentially “training” them to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
CAR-NK therapy holds the potential to overcome a significant challenge in cancer treatment: identifying and eliminating cancer cells that have previously evaded the immune system. The research aims to understand why NK cells are often ineffective against rhabdomyosarcoma and to develop strategies to activate these cells, either naturally present in the child’s body or generated from adult donors.
The Crowthers see this research as a direct fulfillment of the fund’s mission. “Over the years, what we’ve come to do is work with other families through other charities so we pool our resources to fund more research. This is the seventh project we’ve had financial input in to,” Scott Crowther explained. “We’re really excited about the possibilities.”
This research arrives at a time when advancements in pediatric cancer treatment are urgently needed. While survival rates for childhood cancers have improved rhabdomyosarcoma remains a particularly challenging disease. The lack of significant progress in treatment options for four decades underscores the importance of this new initiative.
The study builds on growing understanding of the potential of immunotherapy in cancer treatment. Immunotherapy, which utilizes the body’s own immune system to fight cancer, has shown remarkable success in treating certain types of adult cancers. However, applying these strategies to pediatric cancers, like rhabdomyosarcoma, presents unique challenges due to the differences in the immune systems of children and adults.
Beyond the specific focus on rhabdomyosarcoma, this research could have broader implications for the treatment of other childhood cancers. Understanding how to effectively harness the power of NK cells could lead to the development of new immunotherapies applicable to a wider range of pediatric malignancies.
The funding boost for this research is part of a larger trend toward increased investment in pediatric cancer research. Organizations like Brain Tumour Research are also actively funding projects aimed at improving treatment outcomes for children with brain tumors, as highlighted by a report detailing a £500,000 investment in research at The Institute of Cancer Research in London. This funding supports work focused on glioblastoma, a particularly aggressive type of brain tumor affecting children.
Families who have lost children to cancer are often at the forefront of advocating for increased research funding and improved treatment options. Luke and Karen Staples, whose four-year-old son Zac died from a rare brain cancer, recently called for “kinder” treatments for children, emphasizing the devastating impact of aggressive therapies. Their advocacy, along with the tireless efforts of the Crowthers and countless other families, is driving a critical push for progress in pediatric oncology.
The research at the University of Southampton represents a beacon of hope for children with rhabdomyosarcoma and their families. By focusing on innovative approaches like CAR-NK therapy and by building on decades of dedicated research, scientists are working towards a future where this aggressive cancer can be effectively treated, and more children can live long and healthy lives.
