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Cancer cells compete with the body for food. Some cancer cells use fat to grow, spread, and hide in the brain. When cancer cells hide in the brain, it is hard for chemotherapy reach them due to the blood brain barrier, which allows cancers to come back when they come out of hiding. Dr. Wang and colleagues are investigating how childhood leukemia uses fat to survive in the brain and how drugs that starve leukemia of fat can kill leukemia cells hiding in the brain.

The second year of this grant is generously supported by Rhys’ Pieces of the Cure, a Hero Fund created to honor Rhys Goldman and his journey with cancer. He was diagnosed with pre-B acute lymphoblastic leukemia just 2 weeks before his 6th birthday and endured treatment for three years. Rhys missed a lot of school and life during those years but since marking the end of treatment in July 2018, he has been enjoying swimming, singing in a boys’ choir, chess tournaments, playing with his dogs and going to school. Rhys’ Pieces for the Cure was created to ensure more research is funded for the treatment of pediatric cancer that is specifically focused on less toxic cures for kids.