WCAX.COM Local Vermont News, Weather and Sports-Curing Cancer?

Curing Cancer?

Burlington, Vermont - May 22, 2008

Six-year-old Jack Brown may be in the hospital, but that isn't preventing him from trying to set up a play date with his friend Dustin.

"He's a loving, happy child," says Jack's mother, Aiobhen Brown.

But 4 years ago, Jack's parents knew something was wrong. This loving, happy boy was not acting like himself.

"We noticed a lack of appetite, we noticed him being very sleepy, not interested in Christmas presents," explains Aiobhen Brown.

Jack was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, the most common solid tumor in children under the age of 6.

Aiobhen Brown says, "It was absolutely devastating. It was the worst moment of your life. They told us and took us in a quiet room and told us what the statistics were 20 percent chance of survival. I never could take no for an answer and I started looking around the internet to see what else there was available."

After 15 cycles of chemotherapy and several relapses, Jack and his mom left London to come to Vermont, specifically to find Dr. Giselle Sholler.

"Multiple relapse neuroblastoma children run out of options," says Sholler.

Sholler is spearheading a unique study at Fletcher Allen Health Care that is designed for children like Jack. Over a period of several months, patients are given higher doses of the drug Nifurtimox to try to kill the cancer cells.

Currently seven children from all over the world are enrolled. Jack traveled the farthest, coming from England. Sholler is hoping this drug will improve survival rates.

"About a 30 percent survival rate, once the children have relapsed, and they're a child of relapsed neuroblastoma the survival rate is less than 5 percent," she explains.

It's too early to say if the drug is working, but Sholler says the results so far seem promising, "These kids definitely want to make me find a cure for them they're wonderful they're sweet and encouraging."

"He's a lot better this time around and that makes me think this is working," says Aiobhen Brown.

For this family, hope plays a major role in recovery.

Sholler is currently working with four other universities around the country to start up the neuroblastoma study. She says that way more patients will be able to enroll and they may not have to travel as far. Click here for more information about the neuroblastoma study.

Beth Parent - WCAX News