Archer's story

Claire Bermingham is relieved that The Kids’ Cancer Project is putting children first when it comes to scientific discovery for kinder, more effective cancer treatments.

The Lennox Head mum of two is witnessing the debilitating effects of chemotherapy on her son Archer, who was diagnosed with B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in 2019, a week after his third birthday.

Vincristine is one of the most important chemotherapy drugs used to treat a range of paediatric cancers including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, sarcoma, medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma.

However, one of its major side effects is vincristine-induced neuropathy, which not only significantly reduces patients’ quality of life, but can also necessitate dose reduction or discontinuation of treatment, putting them at risk of succumbing to their cancer.
 
Now 4-years-old, Archer experiences peripheral neuropathy, foot drag, headaches, jaw pain and occasional raspy voice – side effects that doctors estimate could last seven years post-treatment.

Claire and husband Matt know they are the lucky ones as many children do not survive. And for these kids as well as those who do recover their message is clear, “Kids should be the priority for cancer treatment discovery.”

Right now, The Kids’ Cancer Project is funding a study at the University of Queensland’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience to uncover the molecular mechanisms of vincristine-induced neuropathy and to characterise the analgesic effects of existing anti-inflammatory treatments.

Read more: Developing treatments for vincristine-induced neuropathy

Owen Finegan, The Kids’ Cancer Project Chief Executive Officer, says the researchers’ choice to test known and approved treatments means relatively fast translation to clinical use.

“It means discoveries from this investigation will flow through to patients much more quickly than if the researchers were developing a completely new drug,” he says.

“This is research is likely to result in better treatment for kids with cancer, but it stands to reason it will also benefit adults who are prescribed vincristine,” says Finegan.