Ewing sarcoma

If your child has a progressive or recurrent tumor, he may be eligible for a number of experimental therapies available at Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC).

DF/CHCC was one of the first centers in the United States to use chemotherapy and perform limb-salvage surgery for patients with bone cancers like Ewing sarcoma. We are now conducting numerous research studies to help better understand and treat childhood cancers, and our researchers are directing and participating in national and international clinical trials to develop novel treatments.

Some of our most relevant research breakthroughs include:

• Dana-Farber participated in a recently completed study investigating whether interval compression, a way of giving chemotherapy more intensively, improves outcomes for Ewing sarcoma patients.
  
  With the help of hematopoietic growth factors (proteins that stimulate marrow cells to grow and produce blood cells), patients can receive chemotherapy every two weeks instead of three, increasing the amount of therapy administered over a given time period.
  
  The results of this trial show that interval compression does improve outcome; interval compression has now become the standard treatment for Ewing sarcoma. .
   
• We are also conducting a laboratory-based study with the goal of developing a method for detection of Ewing sarcoma cells in the bone marrow. Standard bone marrow tests can identify Ewing sarcoma cells if they are present at a high level – but the method being developed in this study may allow detection of a very low level of Ewing sarcoma cells, too.
   

Clinical trials

Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center (DF/CHCC) is one of the top pediatric research centers in the world. Our research program includes laboratory scientists and clinical researchers from both Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Children’s Hospital Boston. We investigate conditions from every angle—from examining cells under the microscope to tracking response to current drug regimens—so that we can create better treatments for your child.

Clinical trials, or research studies evaluating new treatment approaches, are a major offering at DF/CHCC. Clinical trials are very important for children with hard-to-treat or relapsed conditions. We offer enrollment on several independent, as well as cooperative, treatment studies, many of which are available only at our center.

View our searchable list of clinical trials.

In addition:

• The Children's Oncology Group is a consortium of cancer treatment centers across the United States, Canada, and other countries that conduct studies of nearly every kind of pediatric cancer. Our participation in this group gives children with cancer unparalleled access to the newest clinical trials. Learn more.
   
• Dana-Farber/Children's Hospital Cancer Center has a number of Phase I studies available. If your child has progressive or recurrent Ewing sarcoma, he may be eligible for a number of experimental therapies available through these groups, or through one of our independent clinical investigators. Learn more.