New Treatment for Most Common Cancer in Babies

Neuroblastoma is the most commonly diagnosed cancer for babies in the first year of life. It's an aggressive disease and less than half of its victims survive. But there's new hope in a new treatment. CBS News Contributor and Neurosurgeon CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on this promising therapy that's already saving young lives.

Kindergarten was supposed to mean new friends and ballet for 6-year-old Hayley Kudro. But she said she wasn't eating well because of her tumor. "It filled up my whole belly," Hayley replied.

(Scroll down to watch the video.)

Instead, she's spent the past year enduring toxic treatments for a cancer her family had never even heard of.

Information on Clinical Trials
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
Stand Up to Cancer

"We didn't really have a choice," said Haley's mom, Karen. "It was do this, or lose her."

Last year, Hayley was diagnosed with neuroblastoma - a cancer of the nervous system. It was the most aggressive form: she had a softball-sized tumor in her belly that choked her liver and pancreas.

"Without treatment it will grow and spread and kill the child within a matter of months," said Dr. John M. Maris, of The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Hayley had the standard treatment including chemotherapy, major surgery and radiation. But she's also receiving a drug treatment called immunotherapy - designed to rev up her own immune system to kill the cancer. The immunotherapy drug not only stimulates the child's immune system, it attacks tumor cells.

A new study of 226 high-risk patients like Hayley found that adding the immunotherapy to the standard therapy improved the survival rates by 20 percent. It was so effective, the trial was stopped early.

Gupta asked Maris, "How often do you get to say in cancer research, 'wow, we've found something that works, maybe even cures?'"

"This is one of those moments where we've proven a therapy makes a major difference," he replied.

This is an expensive treatment, costing up to $40,000. Its side effects are relatively mild, just severe flu symptoms once a month during the treatment.

Immunotherapy will be added to traditional treatments in a variety of cancers including breast cancer, melanoma, and kidney cancer.

Hayley is back in first grade. Doctors believe her tumor is gone. Thanks to immunotherapy, it may not come back.

[kiaulune]

Sadly, little Hayley passed away approximately 15 months after this story was made.

[windy7010]

I heard the news of the new therapy and I have to say I am so very happy that yes it works for some children, it is moving in the right direction of curing this nasty cancer. My grandson was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma in June of 2010 at 21 montnhs of age. No child should ever have to endure what these kids do. Any improvements that better the cure rate is a move in the right direction. We were told that my grandson has a 30-40% rate of curing his cancer, He is not a number he is my grandson. We have chosen to stay positive, and any therapy that will improve hid odds is one that we are willing to try. He has already had 5 rounds of chemo, one surgery to remove a tumor off his neck, and a stem cell harvest. He will have a surgey later this month to remove the tumor on his liver and will have a stem cell transplant soon after if the cancer has not spread. These kids need all the hope and research possiable and yes it can be beet! Please pray for him and al the other warroirs of cancer out there.

[windy7010]

I heard the news of the new therapy and I have to say I am so very happy that yes it works for some children, it is moving in the right direction of curing this nasty cancer. My grandson was diagnosed with Stage 4 Neuroblastoma in June of 2010 at 21 montnhs of age. No child should ever have to endure what these kids do. Any improvements that better the cure rate is a move in the right direction. We were told that my grandson has a 30-40% rate of curing his cancer, He is not a number he is my grandson. We have chosen to stay positive, and any therapy that will improve hid odds is one that we are willing to try. He has already had 5 rounds of chemo, one surgery to remove a tumor off his neck, and a stem cell harvest. He will have a surgey later this month to remove the tumor on his liver and will have a stem cell transplant soon after if the cancer has not spread. These kids need all the hope and research possiable and yes it can be beet!

[mamalama2x]

Isn't this a GREAT article! It makes you feel so much hope for the horror our children face. Sadly, statistics can be twisted in so many ways. My son relapsed 5 months after completing this difficult therapy. Now there is no cure and he will die of Neuroblastoma. Little happy shows like this make us think the problem is going away. The current treatment for Neuroblastoma is extremely toxic -as is the antibody therapy! This sugar coated story is just sad to me. The little girl shown will very most likely relapse too. It is sad but true. Let's do a show on that-on all the relapsed kids and how there isn't much hope for us! And the children who are dead. Let's look it in the eye for real and tell the world how horrible and ugly Neuroblastoma is for families faced with it!

[cktirumalai]

Adding immunotherapy to the arsenal of known cancer-fighting weapons is a very welcome advance. And it is good that it will prove effective against childhood neuroblastoma and possibly other malignancies.
Some clinical trials are halted because they go into the danger zone, this one because the results were so good.
Luar518: All best wishes to your son.
Candadai Tirumalai

[patty101558]

Good luck with the treatment and I can't see the comment he made but some individuals dont realize that it will come back to haunt them when they least expect it....God Bless

[Laur518]

I am trying to catch my breath after reading the horrific comment left by "newsterl" on here. My son was diagnosed with Neuroblastoma in March and will be starting this treatment in December of this year. He is doing wonderful and is such a strong little boy. Please say prayers for him to continue fighting and rid his little body of cancer.