Sarcoma MetAstasis Research Taskforce
Principal Investigator(s):
Livia Garzia, Rebecca Gladdy and Poul Sorensen
Sarcomas are a rare and diverse group of cancers that occur in the bone and soft tissues (e.g., muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves) and account for less than one percent of all pediatric cancer diagnoses. Because they are uncommon, high-risk pediatric sarcomas, including Ewing sarcoma, osteosarcoma, and rhabdomyosarcoma are difficult to study, which, in turn, has led to a substantial knowledge gap. This knowledge gap includes a lack of progress in understanding the mechanisms behind the relapse and spread (metastasis) of these high-risk sarcomas and has resulted in a delay in translating research evidence into improved patient outcomes.
The national Sarcoma MetAstasis Research Taskforce (SMART) project aims to bring together experts in sarcoma pathology, biology, model systems, molecular technologies, and drug screening to identify biomarkers for preventing and treating relapse and metastasis in high-risk pediatric sarcomas.
Key Activities :
Develop biology-driven standardized operating procedures for sample collection and biobanking.
Validate pre-clinical models that can be shared across the consortium for future drug discovery.
Demonstrate the utility of sarcoma circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) assays or plasma/extracellular vesicle (EV) proteome assays for the early detection of metastasis and for the detection of targets at progression.
Discover potential targets for metastatic sarcomas to guide the development of novel immunotherapies.
Explore other new liquid biopsy tools based on ctDNA and EVs.
By generating knowledge through rigorous discovery and validation processes, the project is likely to offer pre-clinical evidence for novel strategies in sarcoma care, paving the way for improved patient outcomes. This project is also a national collaboration that will facilitate the sharing of resources and expertise, which can be leveraged for the benefit of the Canadian scientific community.
Additionally, the systematic exploration of sarcoma biology will not only address current challenges in pediatric high-risk sarcomas but also establish a platform for accelerated scientific progress with implications extending beyond sarcomas.
For more information, please contact Emily Nakada.
Principal Investigator(s):
Livia Garzia, Rebecca Gladdy and Poul Sorensen