Dr. Malkin can see cancer coming
The research of Dr. David Malkin and his team in the SickKids Cancer Genetics Program at the Garron Family Cancer Centre essentially allows them to ‘see cancer coming’ - in children SickKids is treating who may be genetically predisposed to cancer.
It’s now understood that heredity is a significant factor in childhood cancer. In up to 40% of kids who develop cancer, there’s a genetic component. Between 10% and 25% of kids have a genetic predisposition that can be detected and acted upon.
Dr. Malkin and his team are identifying kids predisposed to cancer by sequencing their whole genome.
We put these kids ‘under surveillance’. If tumours develop in these patients, close monitoring catches the tumours when they’re tiny. Says Dr. Malkin, “There have been a number of kids who have had tumours less than a centimetre picked up on scanning. They get keyhole surgery, and they’re often totally fine.”
Early detection gives these kids the best chance for a long life. Says Dr. Malkin, “We are actually changing the natural course of disease with early detection, because we are picking up tumours when they’re really small and getting rid of them. These kids go on with their day-to-day lives, and they’re fine. We are avoiding chemotherapy and/or radiation, and improving their chances of survival.”
Donor support is vital to programs like the SickKids Cancer Genetics Program. When it started in 1999, it was the only cancer genetics program that focussed on the child.
