Advances in pediatric cancer research

This joint research unit of the CNRS and the University of Caen-Normandie (UNICAEN) is hosted at the GIP CYCERON in Caen and brings together around 50 members: researchers, biologists, anatomopathologists and clinicians, doctors or surgeons, around the understanding of the pathophysiology of hypoxic tumors (brain-lung) and the identification of new therapeutic strategies targeting the tumor and its microenvironment but also aiming to protect the surrounding healthy tissue from anti-cancer treatments such as radiotherapy.

Professor Guénaëlle Levallet leads this branch, located in the new biology and research building at the Caen Normandy University Hospital, and Dr. Jérémie Rouger . In addition to the cancer models already studied in this group (lung cancer, mesothelioma, kidney cancer, gliomas, hairy cell leukemia, myelomas) , Dr. Rouger is preparing to develop research projects on lymphomas, a type of cancer that affects the lymphatic system, which is essential for the body's immune defense. He will draw on his medical experience and his previous work on childhood acute leukemias to conduct these research projects.

The cellular microenvironment acts as a “neighborhood” around cells, influencing how they behave. In cancer, this neighborhood encourages cancer cells to spread. This is why understanding how it works is crucial for finding better cancer treatments. Dr. Rouger will focus on understanding the role of the cellular microenvironment in the migration and maintenance of tumor cells in tissues, particularly in the central nervous system, including the brain. Several studies on hematological malignancies, diseases that affect the blood or bone marrow, show that when oxygen is low in certain parts of the body (a condition known as hypoxia) , it can attract and protect cancer cells from the effects of treatments. One of the ongoing projects seeks to understand how hypoxia, which occurs naturally in specific areas of the body called “niches,” affects cancer cells. A better understanding of these phenomena will help to develop therapeutic strategies aimed at eliminating tumor cells in their niche and thus preventing cancer recurrence.

The ISTCT unit and its emerging oncoCARE group possess all the necessary equipment and expertise to successfully carry out these new projects. This unit is already internationally recognized for its expertise, particularly in oncology, thanks in particular to the numerous tools developed within the Cyceron platform. Benefiting from both these tools and the modern equipment available at the Caen Normandy University Hospital (CHU) following its reconstruction, the projects currently being developed and those underway within oncoCARE, and more broadly within the ISTCT unit, will boost cancer research in our region and contribute to improving knowledge, ultimately benefiting patients.