Inclusion criteria, exclusion criteria and study summary
Stratified Medicine Paediatrics (SMPaeds) is a UK research study testing tumour (somatic) and normal (germline) DNA and RNA for genetic and gene-expression changes in children, teenagers and young adults with relapsed/refractory cancer. The results of the tests performed will identify patients who may be eligible for new targeted anti-cancer therapies and will aid research that will help us to more precisely diagnose cancer and understand why some patients do not respond to standard treatments. All children, teenagers and young adults with solid paediatric tumours (including brain tumours and lymphoma) whose disease has come back (relapsed) or not responded to treatment (refractory) will be eligible to take part. In addition, the patient must have had a recent biopsy/operation to obtain tumour tissue on which molecular tests can be performed. The results of the testing will be relayed back to the patient’s doctor via an expert group of doctors who will make recommendations on any available treatments. Patients and/or their parents will be asked in advance to consider what information they which to receive in relation to any abnormal genetic results either in the tumour or their normal (germline) genetic code. In addition, the data collected will be used and shared for the purposes of clinical research.
