While some pediatric brain tumors can be removed through surgery, others such as diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) are extraordinarily difficult to treat. Because these tumors are located deep inside the brain, surgery is often impossible. DMGs don’t respond to radiation or other standard treatments either, and children diagnosed with this type of brain tumor are projected to live for less than a year.
New research, funded in part through the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, shows promise for treating these especially deadly tumors.
In a paper published in Nature Cancer this week, physician-scientists from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Department of Neurological Surgery and UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh discovered that DMG tumors are uniquely dependent on methionine – an amino acid that humans must receive from food. Developing drugs that restrict methionine-processing specifically in the brain tumor, but not the rest of the body could pave the way for new non-invasive treatments.
PBTF supported this discovery through our Early Career Development funding of Dr. Stephen Mack at St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. As part of our strategy to accelerate pediatric-first brain tumor research, PBTF’s multi-year Early Career Development grants ensure that talented scientists like Dr. Mack have the funding needed to become fully independent investigators while fostering collaborations to pursue new therapies for children battling the deadliest childhood cancer.
You can make more discoveries possible by joining the PBTF community. Sign up today to stay on top of pediatric brain tumor news, resources for patient families, and ways to get involved.
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation Welcomes Dr. Sanjay Gupta to Its Board of Directors
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) is proud to welcome Dr. Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s chief medical correspondent, to the PBTF’s Board of Directors. Dr. Gupta will bring his wide-ranging experiences in medical practice and journalism, including as associate chief of the neurosurgery service at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, associate professor of neurosurgery at the Emory University School of Medicine, and chief medical correspondent for CNN, to bear as a valuable and expert advocate for pediatric brain tumor patients, survivors, and their families.
Cancer Gets Lost’s Online Charity Auction of Rare and Signed LOST Memorabilia to Benefit Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation
Cancer Gets Lost (CGL) has selected the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation as the benefiting charity for their 2024 LOST charity auction taking place online May 11-18 in recognition of Brain Tumor Awareness Month. This year’s Cancer Gets Lost auction will celebrate the show’s 20th anniversary by auctioning rare and signed LOST memorabilia kindly donated by fans, cast, crew, and creatives, as well as rare collectibles from Bad Robot and other projects LOST cast members have worked on.
