Pediatric low-grade gliomas (PLGGs) are the most common brain tumor of childhood, affecting thousands of children across the world. Unfortunately, growth of theses tumors even with current standards for treatment (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy) often leaves patients with devastating and life-long impairments. Our goal is to develop new treatments that give kids with PLGGs a chance for more normal lives. We are working to develop novel, effective PLGG therapies that target and kill only tumor cells while leaving normal cells unharmed. To attain our goal, we must understand the basic biology of how normal brain cells transform into tumor cells.
One important feature of PLGGs is that they are collectively made up of lots of different types of tumors, with different underlying processes that make them grow. Cancer cells frequently have mutations or ‘errors’ in the DNA sequences (genes) that signal cells to grow. We and others have found PLGGs to have mutations in a number of different genes that can be used as targets for new treatment approaches. Excitingly, new therapies to target these mutations, for example BRAF, already have been translated into the clinical care of children with PLGGs. However, much work still needs to be done to help us understand how best to use these drugs, how to overcome resistance and how to target other mutations that cause PLGGs.
Our goal is to work as a team to find better treatments that are less toxic and more effective so that every child can live cancer free with a chance to achieve their dreams.
The Dana-Farber PLGG Program
Our mission is to provide advanced, comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and high-quality care while pursuing scientific advancements in therapeutic development. Our program brings together scientists with immense expertise in the biology and genomics of pediatric brain tumors, treatment modalities, chemical biology, and orchestration of novel clinical trials. Leveraging this impressive infrastructure, the talent of our investigators, and our worldwide collaborations, we are perfectly positioned to catalyze paradigm shifting scientific and clinical discoveries to improve outcomes for pediatric brain cancer patients.
Our vision is to bring together scientists and clinicians with diverse scientific backgrounds and expertise to lead research focused on understanding what makes pediatric gliomas grow, to develop potent and safe therapeutic strategies that are rapidly translated into global clinical trials.
With generous support from patient families, the pLGG Program was established in 2007, and to this day, patient families remain the major source of support. Notably, the Dana-Farber pLGG program is the only dedicated pLGG research program in America. Our program brings together experts across disciplines to catalyze discoveries that directly impact the clinical care of children diagnosed with these tumors. A timeline of major program milestones is below.
While these discoveries have made changes to treatments for pLGG patients, we cannot and will not stop until we have curative and non-toxic treatments for every child. This premise underlies our mission and fuels our urgency to improve outcomes for all children with pLGG.
