Canberra, December 13 (QNA) - A new study by researchers from The University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia suggests that health of children with a rare, high-risk cancer called neuroblastoma could be improved by adding an existing drug to their treatment plan.

The study focuses on the use of TETA (triethylenetetramine), marketed as Cuprior. This drug helps shrink tumors and boosts the immune system's ability to fight the disease. Tests on mice showed that the drug weakens tumors by transferring copper to immune cells, like neutrophils, which are white blood cells that help combat infections and diseases.

Dr. Orazio Vittorio, lead researcher from UNSW's School of Biomedical Sciences, explained that the drug has a dual effect: it weakens the tumor and strengthens the immune system, improving the body's response to immunotherapy.

Dr. Vittorio added that this approach could improve the results of current immunotherapy for neuroblastoma, increasing survival rates for affected children from 10 to 50 percent.

Dr. Jordyn Rowan, principal investigator from UNSW's Clinical Medicine School, described copper removal from tumors as a major breakthrough in treating neuroblastoma, stating that It's non-toxic and has shown no concerning side effects, and that this treatment could also improve the quality of life for children suffering from this aggressive cancer.

Dr. Rowan pointed out that re-purposing an existing drug saves both time and money compared to developing entirely new treatments, which usually take 8 to 13 years.

Neuroblastoma, or neuroblastic tumor, is a cancer that develops from immature nerve cells found in various parts of the body. It most commonly originates in and around the adrenal glands, with origins similar to nerve cells. This cancer primarily affects children aged 5 years or younger and rarely occurs in older children. (QNA)