Thanks to the generous support of Sarcoma Research Canada, Kindred Foundation and Childhood Cancer Canada Foundation, Year 1 of Dr. Rebecca Deyell’s C17-funded research is delivering important progress toward more personalized and safer treatment for children with bone sarcoma.
Children with osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma undergo intensive chemotherapy, yet drug doses are still calculated using only height and weight. This approach does not account for a child’s body composition—the balance of muscle, fat, and bone—which in adults is known to strongly affect treatment side effects and survival. Until now, this has not been well studied in children.
Progress in year 1
Dr. Deyell’s team laid the foundation for a national study that uses advanced imaging and artificial intelligence to measure body composition accurately from routine CT scans already performed as part of cancer care.
In the first year of the grant, the research team:
· Successfully organized and undertaken automated image analysis of over 350 CT scans previously acquired with concurrent research DXA scans from 80 pediatric patients, creating a robust validation cohort.
· Began validating automated CT body composition analysis using the Data Analysis Facilitation Suite (DAFS), replacing time-consuming manual methods with faster, more precise technology.
· Engaged eight pediatric oncology sites across Canada that are actively contributing clinical data and imaging via the CPNDS network, building one of the largest national datasets of its kind in pediatric sarcoma.
· Collaborated with the CanSaRCC national sarcoma consortium to additionally included patients with sarcoma from sites without CPNDS patients.
· Strengthened collaboration with automated image analysis partners at Simon Fraser University.
Why this matters
Dr. Deyell’s earlier work demonstrated that a single routinely collected CT image can reliably estimate whole-body muscle and fat in children. This study advances the field forward by validating an automated approach, making large-scale, real-world use possible for the first time in pediatric oncology.
Once validated, this technology will allow researchers to:
· Track how children’s body composition changes during chemotherapy.
· Understand how these changes influence side effects, long-term health, and survival.
· Identify children who may benefit from tailored chemotherapy dosing or targeted nutritional support.
Looking ahead
Although minor delays occurred due to the complexity of collecting imaging data across multiple hospitals, the project remains on track. Clinical data collection is now complete, with final DAFS image analysis approaching completion in early 2026. This will be followed by national-level statistical analysis and publication. Findings are expected to be shared at international oncology meetings in 2026.
This work would not be possible without the commitment of our donors, whose support is helping to shape a more precise and compassionate future for children with bone sarcoma.
About Rebecca Deyell, BSc, MD, MHSc
Dr. Rebecca Deyell is a pediatric oncologist/hematologist and clinician investigator at BC Children’s Hospital and Research Institute. She is a co-leader of the BC Pediatric Precision OncoGenomics study (PedsPOG) and of the Clinical Trials theme of the ACCESS consortium, which includes trials
linked to the national PRecision Oncology For Young peopLE (PROFYLE) program. She holds the Mowafaghian Chair in Pediatric Oncology Research at BCCH/BCCHRI and leads the clinical trials program in pediatric oncology/hematology in BC and participates in the national C17 DVL network.