ChromaDose set to improve chemotherapy for children

摘要

AUCL-led project dubbed ChromaDose aims to improve the delivery of chemotherapy drugs and reduce side effects for children with cancer. The 30-month project, supported by the NIHR-funded London In-Vitro Diagnostic Co-operative, is focused on development of a bedside automated drug monitoring tool. The 'ChromaDose' device will allow for point-of-care testing of drug exposure in blood samples of children receiving anthracyclines - a type of medicine used in chemotherapy that can cause heart problems in up to 65 per cent of children. Until now, the standard method for determining the dose of anthracyclines in children has been to use the patient's weight and height. Due to inconsistencies in the way that medicines are processed by children of the same size, this can reduce drug safety and increase the potential for harmful side effects.