The TARGET Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia projects elucidate comprehensive molecular characterization to determine the genetic changes that drive the initiation and progression of hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is a cancer of white blood cells, the cells in the body that normally fight infection.
Projects
Acute Myeloid Leukemia
The TARGET Acute Myeloid Leukemia projects elucidate comprehensive molecular characterization to determine the genetic changes that drive the initiation and progression of high-risk or hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer that originates in the bone marrow from immature white blood cells known as myeloblasts. About 25% of all children with leukemia have AML.
Kidney Tumors
The TARGET Kidney Tumor projects elucidate comprehensive molecular characterization to determine the genetic changes that drive the initiation and progression of high-risk or hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Pediatric kidney tumors fall into four primary categories: Wilms tumors (~85% of all cases), clear cell sarcomas of the kidney (~5%), congenital mesoblastic nephromas (~4%), and rhabdoid tumors of the kidney (~3%). The TARGET initiative is investigating three of these tumor types.
Neuroblastoma
The TARGET Neuroblastoma projects elucidate comprehensive molecular characterization to determine the genetic changes that drive the initiation and progression of high-risk or hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Neuroblastoma (NBL) is a cancer that arises in immature nerve cells of the sympathetic nervous system, primarily affecting infants and children.
Osteosarcoma
The TARGET Osteosarcoma project elucidates comprehensive molecular characterization to determine the genetic changes that drive the initiation and progression of high-risk or hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of bone cancer in children and adolescents.
Pan-cancer Model Systems
The TARGET Pan-cancer Model Systems (MDLS) were developed to study the mechanisms of tumor development and response to treatments of high-risk or hard-to-treat childhood cancers. MDLS includes acute leukemia cell lines and xenografts with matched primary and/or relapsed tumor information, neuroblastoma cell lines and xenografts with matched controls, kidney tumor cell lines, normal brain tissues, and embryonic stem cell lines that were sequenced for some TARGET disease projects.
TARGET Analysis Working Group
The TARGET Analysis Working Group uses comprehensive molecular characterization to determine the genetic changes that drive the initiation and progression of high-risk or hard-to-treat childhood cancers. Analysis of molecular aberrations across multiple cancer types, known as pan-cancer analysis, identifies commonalities and differences in key biological processes dysregulated in cancer cells.