CoBioRB is a research program led by Prof. Petra Ketteler to identify biomarkers for optimizing treatment of childhood retinoblastoma.
About Childhood Retinoblastomas
Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor that develops in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue layer at the back of the eye. This tumor originates from immature retinal cells called “developing retinal cells.”
Retinoblastoma is a cancer primarily affecting young children, typically before the age of 5 (95% of cases). Approximately 50 to 60 new cases are estimated each year in France (about 2% of pediatric cancers).
Treatment for retinoblastoma depends on the size, location, and spread of the tumor. Treatment options may include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these methods. Prognosis for children with retinoblastoma also depends on the extent of the disease and how quickly it is diagnosed and treated.
About CoBioRB
CoBioRB is a collaborative study aimed at identifying biomarkers that will help tailor stratified treatment for children with retinoblastoma. Specifically, the genetic and genomic characteristics of retinoblastoma subtypes will be characterized to identify biomarkers for tumors with high or low metastatic risk. In the second phase, the international team leading this project will quantify the amount of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in biological fluids (blood) of retinoblastoma patients. They will investigate the hypothesis that ctDNA quantity correlates with tumor burden and risk of metastasis. The study will collect tumor tissues and samples of blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and aqueous humor from 35 patients across 6 centers. The identified biomarkers could help identify patients at risk of metastasis to mitigate late treatment effects in others. CoBioRB forms the basis of a pan-European clinical trial “EURBG2” on biomarkers for risk stratification of adjuvant treatment for retinoblastoma.
Project Progress
The project has made good progress, with genetic analyses conducted on 156 tumor samples to develop the first phase of the project.
Summary of the CoBioRB Project
- Lead Investigators: Prof. Petra Ketteler
- Program Duration: January 2023 – January 2025
- Countries Involved: Netherlands, France, Spain, UK, Germany, Switzerland
- Fight Kids Cancer Funding: €500,000, including Imagine for Margo funding: €500,000
