A study looking at blood levels of the drug 13-cis-retinoic acid in children and young people having treatment for neuroblastoma

This was a study to learn more about the drug 13-cis-retinoic acid which doctors use to treat children and young people with high risk neuroblastoma.

Doctors sometimes treat neuroblastoma with 13-cis-retinoic acid (also called Isotretinoin, or 13-cis-RA). But we know from earlier studies that when everyone has the same dose, some people will have a different level of drug in their blood compared to others.

In this study, the researchers took blood samples from children and young people who were having 13-cis-RA as part of their treatment for neuroblastoma. They measured the levels of the drug in the blood after treatment. This is called a pharmacokinetic study.

For some patients, if the level of 13-cis-RA in the blood was low, the doctors could change the dose on an individual basis.

The aims of the study were to:

• Measure the blood levels of 13-cis-RA after treatment in each person taking part

• Possibly change their dose depending on results of blood tests

• Learn more about what happens to 13-cis-reinoic acid in the body, which may improve the way doctors use the drug in the future