© 2003 by Oxford University Press
© 2003 Oxford University Press
NEWS |
Ewing’s Sarcoma: A Miracle Drug Waiting to Happen?
| The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below. |
In late September, a vocal throng of citizens assembled outside the Utah Capitol Building to protest against the state’s Division of Child and Family Services. Complaints about government agencies are hardly unusual, but what was striking about this rally was that it had been precipitated by Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare family of childhood cancers that seldom grabs the public spotlight.
At issue was whether 12-year-old Utah resident Parker Jensen, who has Ewing’s sarcoma, must receive chemotherapy to kill tumor cells that likely linger in his body. Officials with Utah’s child services division had ordered 4 months earlier that he should be treated, standing behind clinical data and threats of stiff legal actions. Parker’s parents were equally adamant that their son should receive a milder alternative therapy, reportedly fearing that the standard 11-month, 14-cycle chemotherapy regimen would stunt Parker’s growth and leave him sterile.
For those who follow oncology, the dispute
Once Grave Prognosis
Mysterious Origin
Worth the Effort?