A drug called ribociclib, currently used to treat breast cancer, could slow the progression of certain pediatric high-grade gliomas, an aggressive type of childhood brain cancer, a new study has found.

Ribociclib (brand name Kisqali) is a CDK4/6 inhibitor, a type of drug that targets specific enzymes — including the protein CDK6 — to stop cancer cells from growing.

In the study, which was published in the journal Cancer Cell, a 10-year-old patient who had experienced a second relapse of pediatric high-grade glioma — and had no other treatment options — experienced 17 months of “progression-free survival” after taking ribociclib.

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The patient had a diffuse hemispheric glioma (DHG), which typically develops in the frontal, parietal and temporal lobes of the brain.

“These very early results are remarkable given the typically poor prognosis for children diagnosed with these aggressive brain tumors,” according to a press release from the Institute of Cancer Research (ICR) in London.

This type of tumor usually progresses within 3½ months of recurrence.

It has been four years since the female patient received her diagnosis. She is currently receiving further treatment, the release stated.

“We are finally starting to see more targeted therapies come out for different forms of brain cancer.”

“Ribociclib was chosen based on the genetic profile of the patient’s tumor, which demonstrated relevant markers,” said Dr. Gregory Nalesnik, a pediatric oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, who was not involved in the study but reviewed the findings.

The drug was also shown to be effective in mice — 100% of the mice treated with ribociclib survived for 110 days after treatment, compared to only 25% of the mice who received a placebo.

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive tumors in the brain and spinal cord that can occur in children and adults. (iStock)

The study, which was led by ICR and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, was partly funded by The Brain Tumour Charity and Cancer Research UK.

“We are finally starting to see more targeted therapies come out for different forms of brain cancer,” says senior author Mariella Filbin, M.D., PhD, co-director of the Brain Tumor Center of Excellence at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, in the press release.

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“Our patients really need these new treatment options.”

Ribociclib was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in March 2017 for the treatment of certain types of advanced or metastatic breast cancer in postmenopausal women.

What to know about high-grade gliomas

High-grade gliomas (HGGs) are aggressive tumors in the brain and spinal cord that can occur in children and adults.

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This type of tumor makes up some 10% of pediatric brain tumors, according to the American Brain Tumor Association (ABTA).

They are generally difficult to treat because they often grow into the tissue of the central nervous system.

A 10-year-old patient (not pictured) who had experienced a second relapse of pediatric high-grade glioma — and had no other treatment options — experienced 17 months of “progression-free survival” after taking ribociclib. (iStock)

In children who are diagnosed with a high-grade glioma, the overall survival rate is less than two years, with less than 30% of patients surviving for five years.

Current treatments include surgery, radiation and chemotherapy, although these drugs have proven more effective for adults than children, noted the ABTA.

Results show promise, more research is needed

Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, was not involved in the study but shared his opinions on the drug’s potential.

“This is a targeted therapy that has been used in breast cancer to attack growth factors on the surface of the cancer,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“It is now showing some promise in slowing progression of several months in a rare but deadly childhood glioma (malignancy in support cells of the brain).” 

“This research helps us have a better understanding of what is driving this devastating disease in children.”

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On a wider scale, the drug could target more growth factor proteins on cancer cells, Siegel noted.

“This approach may be combined with other treatments, including surgery and radiation, to help prolong life,” he added.

In children diagnosed with a high-grade glioma, the overall survival rate is less than two years, with less than 30% of patients surviving for five years. (iStock)

The study highlights the growing prevalence of targeted therapy, Nalesnik commented.

“The use of therapy guided by molecular tumor markers is becoming more and more prevalent in the world of oncology,” he told Fox News Digital. 

“Sometimes called ‘targeted therapies,’ these treatments are much more specific than traditional chemotherapies, which are globally cytotoxic (toxic to living cells) in general.” 

“This research helps us have a better understanding of what is driving this devastating disease in children,” a scientist said. (iStock)

Targeted therapies like ribociclib, which are designed to address the root cause of a cancer cell’s harmful behavior, often have fewer side effects than conventional chemotherapy, according to Nalesnik.

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While targeted therapies show promise in treating aggressive cancers, experts agree that more research is needed.

“Although more clinical trials are needed to lend evidence to efficacy and information about side effects (both short-term and long-term), I applaud the authors in their application of translational research and the use of targeted therapy for pediatric high-grade glioma,” Nalesnik added.

Looking ahead, the researchers hope that this study will pave the way to clinical trials that include more patients. (iStock)

Looking ahead, the researchers hope that this study will pave the way to clinical trials that include more patients.

“This research helps us have a better understanding of what is driving this devastating disease in children,” said Dr. Simon Newman, chief scientific officer at The Brain Tumour Charity, in the press release. 

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“We know that current treatments are not effective and that finding vulnerabilities in cancer cells could lead to new, targeted treatments to help children live longer and better lives. Although this is very early days, we hope that it will provide some data to inform clinical trials in the future.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the study researchers and to ABTA for comment.

Sick days have taken on a whole new meaning.

As Generation Z employees enter the workforce, paid sick days — allotted by a majority of companies — are being used more than ever.

Approximately 30% of employees took sick leave in the first 10 months of 2023 — up 42% from 2019, according to the HR platform Gusto, which is used by more than 300,000 U.S. businesses.

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The average amount of time taken off for sick leave has also increased by 15% since 2019, reaching an average of 15.5 hours per year.

Another HR platform, Dayforce, reported a 55% increase in sick leave during the same time frame, based on its users’ activity.

Among white-collar workers, Dayforce saw a 42% spike in sick leave since 2019.

Workers ages 25 to 34 years old were the most likely to take advantage of these benefits, according to Gusto’s data.

“This younger generation is now the most likely to take time away from work to rest and recover from an illness — a sign of a generational shift in the attitude that employees have about taking time off to protect their health,” Gusto reported last year.

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Jake Canull, regional director of the Top Employers Institute in New York, reacted to this data in a response sent to Fox News Digital.

Top Employers, in new research, found that regardless of age, “sick days are encouraged by employers to prevent and recover from illness,” Canull said.

Gen Z is “now the most likely to take time away from work to rest and recover from an illness,” according to Gusto, an HR platform.  (iStock)

Many companies with high levels of employee engagement have created initiatives to raise awareness of mental and emotional health, the expert noted.

These same companies are 14% more likely to discourage people from working overtime and 9% more likely to encourage them to take stress-relieving breaks during the workday, Canull added.

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Gen Z employees are less likely to work in independent and self-directed workspaces — as they value human contact and collaboration, he said.

“They tend to prioritize safer and healthier workplaces over growth and development opportunities.”

America’s youngest workers also prioritize their own well-being, he mentioned, and are “very community-focused.”

“They tend to [avoid] infecting their colleagues by staying home,” Canull told Fox News Digital.

“Generally, they tend to prioritize safer and healthier workplaces over growth and development opportunities.”

Seventy-eight percent of Gen Z workers believe the workplace should build community, social connections and belonging, a survey found. (iStock)

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and NYU Langone clinical professor of medicine, told Fox News Digital that it “would be nice” to think that an additional use of sick days is due to people being more conscious of spreading infection since the pandemic.

“But I don’t believe that’s the case,” he said. “If anything, post-COVID fatigue has led to fewer precautions, including to COVID, which is now spreading widely again.”

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The doctor presumed that rising sick days are more associated with burnout at work, scarcity of rewards and lack of commitment to careers — especially among younger people.

“People are more likely to game the system or require mental health days because of growing anxiety and depression in our society,” Siegel theorized.

“Some people just feel like providing more balance in their lives between work and play.”

Rising sick days could be due to burnout at work, lack of rewards and lack of commitment to careers, one doctor suggested. (iStock)

Dr. Kyle Elliott, a career coach based in California, agreed that Gen Z employees prioritize work-life balance.

“It’s easier to take a sick day when you find meaning and purpose beyond your work and career,” Elliott told Fox News Digital.

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Gen Z workers have also recognized that sick days aren’t solely reserved for physical illness, according to the expert.

“They can also be used when you’re coping with stress or burnout — and you don’t have to provide your employer with a detailed reason for why you’re using your sick time,” Elliott said. 

Sixty-two percent of Gen Z respondents would be willing to accept a lower salary in return for a better work-life balance.

“Gen Z workers are demonstrating that it doesn’t hurt to take a day or two off when you’re feeling mentally worn down or exhausted — and it can pay off in the long run if you recover quicker.”

Elliott suggested that America’s youngest employees are learning there is “more to life than work” and “little benefit in working when you’re sick.”

Members of Gen Z are learning that there is “more to life than work,” one workplace wellness expert said. (iStock)

New and exclusive data from the Top Employers Gen Z survey revealed that 81% of young workers believe their employers have a responsibility to support the physical well-being of their employees.

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Meanwhile, 83% agree that employers are responsible for supporting their employees’ psychological well-being.

Also, 62% of Gen Z respondents would be willing to accept a lower salary in return for a better work-life balance, according to the survey. 

Gen Z workers encouraged fostering supportive work environments, as 78% said the workplace should build community, social connections and belonging — and 75% stated that having fun at work is important.

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