Dr. Bailey Discusses Key Molecular Pathways in Bone Sarcoma

Kelly Bailey, MD, PhD, physician, department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, discusses key molecular pathways in pediatric bone sarcoma.

A key molecular pathway in both osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma is the Wnt pathway. Both of these tumor types have been shown to be more aggressive when those cells secrete Wnt, Bailey says. Wnt is a potentially therapeutically targetable pathway, and there have been recent studies looking at porcupine inhibitors that target Wnt. Bailey says that these studies are investigating whether blocking Wnt signaling or the downstream effects of Wnt signaling can affect how these sarcomas metastasize.

Additionally, IL-8 is an important molecular pathway in osteosarcoma, and in Ewing sarcoma, EWS-FLI-1 has been identified as a key molecular pathway, Bailey concludes.