Studying Biomarkers in Samples From Patients With High-Risk Neuroblastoma

Children's Oncology Group99 enrolled

Overview

RATIONALE: Studying samples of blood and tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about changes that occur in DNA and identify biomarkers related to cancer. PURPOSE: This research trial studies biomarkers in samples from patients with high-risk neuroblastoma.

OBJECTIVES: * To establish telomere length measurement by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) as an alternative lengthening of telomeres (ALT) detection method in neuroblastoma (NB). * To determine the frequency of ALT in high-risk NB and the characteristics of ALT+ NB. * To establish C-circle (extra-chromosomal telomeric DNA circles) level as a marker of ALT activity in NB. * To evaluate the prognostic significance of ALT in NB. * To evaluate the utility of the C-circle assay for the detection of circulating tumor DNA in NB patients with an ALT+ tumor. OUTLINE: Archived tumor tissue and serum samples are analyzed for telomere length measurement, frequency, and C-circle levels by PCR. Results are then compared with patients' age at diagnosis and outcomes including survival data (event-free and overall survival).

Study Type

OBSERVATIONAL

Enrollment

Conditions

Neuroblastoma

Interventions

DNA analysisGENETIC

polymerase chain reactionGENETIC

laboratory biomarker analysisOTHER

medical chart reviewOTHER

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMax age: 30 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS: * Snap-frozen neuroblastoma (NB) tumors collected at diagnosis (Objectives 1 to 3) * High-risk stage 3 or 4 NB AND MYCN non-amplified, i.e., exclude stage 4 infants who are not high-risk * Up to five high-risk (\> 18 months, unfavorable histology) stage 3/MYCN non-amplified tumors * Patients preferably treated on protocol COG-A3973 or similar protocols with myeloablative therapy * At least 3 years of follow-up for those with no event (current evidence suggests that ALT+ NBs often relapse late, i.e., 2 years or longer from diagnosis) * NB tumor DNA collected at diagnosis (Objectives 2 \& 3) * High-risk stage 3 or 4 NB as for Objective 1, except for MYCN status * Stage 4 tumors are preferred; may include up to seven high-risk stage 3 tumors with similar distribution of MYCN-amplified and non-amplified tumors * Frozen serum from NB patients (Objective 5; 2nd stage of project) * Paired serum obtained at diagnosis from patients with ALT+ or ALT- tumors identified in Objective 2 PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS: * Not specified PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY: * See Disease Characteristics

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

The sensitivity and specificity, as well as the optimal cut-off, for telomere length (TL) qPCR as an ALT detection method

Frequency and characteristics of ALT in high-risk NB

C-circle level as a marker of ALT activity in NB

Prognostic value of ALT

C-circle assay utility in detecting tumor DNA in the serum of NB patients with an ALT

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

This platform is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional.