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Updated: Apr 28, 2026
A Protocol for Rapid Post-mortem Cell Culture of Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma DIPG
Published on: March 7, 2017
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas: treatments and controversies
Amy Lee Bredlau1, David N Korones2
1Department of Pediatrics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA; Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina, USA.
Insights
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) are aggressive pediatric brain tumors with poor outcomes. Research is exploring novel molecular and delivery-based therapies to improve survival for affected children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Neuro-Oncology
- Cancer Biology
Background:
- Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) represent a common and devastating pediatric brain tumor diagnosis.
- Children diagnosed with DIPGs face a dismal prognosis, with a median survival of less than one year.
- Surgical resection is not feasible due to the tumor's location within the pons.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate novel therapeutic strategies for diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs).
- To explore molecular targets within DIPGs for potential drug development.
- To evaluate innovative treatment delivery methods for DIPGs.
Main Methods:
- Analyzing molecular signals from DIPG tumor tissue.
- Investigating convection-enhanced delivery (CED) of chemotherapy.
- Reviewing outcomes of clinical trials for radiation and chemotherapy.
Main Results:
- Ongoing efforts to obtain tumor tissue are facilitating molecular profiling.
- Convection-enhanced delivery (CED) is being explored as a novel treatment approach.
- Despite extensive research, significant improvements in DIPG prognosis remain elusive.
Conclusions:
- Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) necessitate innovative and multidisciplinary therapeutic approaches.
- Uncovering targetable molecular pathways is crucial for developing effective DIPG treatments.
- Novel delivery systems like CED offer potential for improved treatment efficacy in DIPGs.
Abstract:
Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs) are a fairly common pediatric brain tumor, and children with these tumors have a dismal prognosis. They generally are diagnosed within the first decade of life, and due to their location within the pons, these tumors are not surgically resectable. The median survival for children with DIPGs is less than 1 year, in spite of decades of clinical trial development of unique approaches to radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Novel therapies are under investigation for these deadly tumors. As clinicians and researchers make a concerted effort to obtain tumor tissue, the molecular signals of these tumors are being investigated in an attempt to uncover targetable therapies for DIPGs. In addition, direct application of chemotherapies into the tumor (convection-enhanced delivery) is being investigated as a novel delivery system for treatment of DIPGs. Overall, DIPGs require creative thinking and a disciplined approach for development of a therapy that can improve the prognosis for these unfortunate children.
