A new therapy to treat DIPGs, the most aggressive of all childhood brain cancers
Background
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) are the most aggressive of all childhood cancers. Due to their location within the brainstem, these tumours cannot be removed surgically, and they do not respond to chemotherapy. New and innovative treatment approaches are urgently needed.
The research
Dr Ziegler’s team have found that a synthetic retinoid (a compound derived from vitamin A) acts powerfully against DIPG cells, which have now been grown for the first time in a laboratory. The synthetic retinoid is well tolerated in children, but has never before been tested in DIPG. This represents a promising step towards developing a therapy for DIPG, and this project will determine the best combination of treatment strategies to eradicate DIPG cells.
The impact
Ultimately, the researchers hope to rapidly translate these findings into the clinic to directly benefit children with DIPG.