“Brainstem glioma remains a tumour with a dismal prognosis but relatively little is known about the underlying biology and progress will require a concerted effort to collect tissue by biopsy and autopsy to allow appropriate analysis to identify and validate targets. A new era of molecular based therapies offers the promise of major benefits in the management of paediatric glioma but translating this promise into reality will require further understanding of the biology driving these tumours”.
So ends Dr. Darren Hargrave’s new abstract in the British Journal of Neurosurgery on the impact of tumor biology on current and future therapy for pediatric gliomas.
Dr. Hargrave points out that targeted therapeutic agents directed against specific molecular tumor targets offer promise in making a difference for pediatric glioma patients. Unfortunately, the lack of evaluable tumor tissue with diffuse intrinsic pontine tumors has hindered advancement in research and understanding with these tumors. Over the past couple years there have been increasingly visible strategies to try to obtain tissue.
A transition seems to be on the horizon for diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas with the tissue debates. The issues are not easy but a concerted, collaborative, considered focus could make a significant difference for our kids. To do the best for our children, we call on each institution treating pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma patients to critically analyze their own approach to the ‘tissue issue’ for DIPGs.
There are several places actively undertaking tumor tissue molecular analysis of DIPGs; however, these researchers are still in need of this most precious resource.
http://www.justonemoreday.org/Research/TumorTissueAnalysis.html
Reference-
Paediatric high and low grade glioma: the impact of tumour biology on current and future therapy.
Br J Neurosurg. 2009 Aug;23(4):351-63.
http://tinyurl.com/n56wpz
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