What is CMMRD?
CMMRD is a rare genetic cancer causing syndrome that puts children and young
adults at an extremely high risk of developing multiple cancers. Having CMMRD is
like living with a ticking time bomb inside of you. It’s not a matter of if cancer will
occur – it’s a matter of when and where.
CMMRD affects families. Most of those diagnosed have no previous significant family
cancer history. Most often, CMMRD strikes during childhood or young adulthood and
affects multiple children within the same family, causing siblings to fight cancer
simultaneously and even individuals to fight different cancers concurrently. Some of
the most common CMMRD cancers are brain and central nervous system cancers,
blood (lymphoma and leukemia) and digestive tract cancers (colon, small bowel).
Those affected with CMMRD must undergo strict screening regimens to test often for
CMMRD cancers in an effort to identify and treat them as early as possible.
CMMRD can also complicate the treatment plan of some cancers, as some traditional
cancer treatments such as certain forms of radiation and chemotherapy can cause
additional cancers to those with CMMRD.
For those who want to learn more about CMMRD please visit
http://www.sickkids.ca/MMRD/patients-families/index.html. For healthcare
providers who want to learn more about CMMRD please go to
http://www.sickkids.ca/MMRD/Health-care- Practitioners/index.html.
CMMRD is rare, but those lives and families affected with CMMRD matter. Imagine
being a parent helplessly watching your children fight cancer after cancer. They need
a cure. Knowledge of CMMRD is increasing daily and research is more promising than
ever before, but funding is needed to support continued research efforts.
Developments in CMMRD cancer research can be applied to the understanding of
cancer in general.