We are supporting International Childhood Cancer Day to draw attention to the need for more effective treatments for children with brain tumours.
International Childhood Cancer Day is a joint campaign between Childhood Cancer International and the International Society of Paediatric Oncology to raise awareness about childhood cancer and its unique challenges, and to express support for those affected. We join other stakeholders in calling for increased recognition of the needs of children and young people with cancer.
Around 540 children and teens (age 0 to 19 years) are diagnosed with a brain tumour every year in the UK. The highest incidence rate is in children under the age of five years, accounting for around 150 of these cases.
Survival from childhood brain tumours has increased from around 40% in the early 1970s to more than 75% today. This improvement in survival is attributed to better, more precise diagnosis, the development of successive collaborative clinical trials of more intense multimodal therapies (chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery) as well as improved imaging methods and supportive care.
Whilst this improvement in survival is cause for celebration, however, the increased use of intensive high dose and toxic treatments threatens quality of survival – putting young patients at risk of a range of physical, neurological and cognitive difficulties that can impact their quality of life.
And at the same time, there remains an urgent need for effective treatments for the young patients who cannot currently be cured. This includes children with the deadly diffuse midline glioma, or DMG.
In 2023 we awarded project funding to Dr Dan Williamson and Dr Debbie Hicks at Newcastle University, to support vital research that aims to map the brain’s response to radiotherapy.
In many brain and non-brain cancers, the whole brain is treated with radiotherapy, either to directly treat the tumour or to reduce the risk of recurrence. Whilst this has helped to drive up survival rates, it is not without cost. Healthy brain tissue is exposed to the toxic effects of radiation, and damage is caused to normal cells and the genetic material within them.
In children, whose brains are undergoing rapid development, this is particularly problematic and can result in serious harm. Childhood brain tumour survivors who have had radiotherapy to the whole brain show more problems with cognition than siblings, peers, and other cancer survivors who have not had radiotherapy to the brain. They have been shown to struggle at school, have fewer friends, and be more frequently under-employed. Ultimately this leads to lower quality of life.
In this project, the team will use new methodology to understand the biological response to radiotherapy with greater precision than has previously been possible, focusing on four areas of the brain that are key for cognitive function.
By helping us to understand how radiotherapy affects the different cells of the brain, this project will provide valuable insight into how we might mitigate these effects and protect quality of life in these young patients.
Read more: Understanding radiation-induced brain injury
Diffuse midline glioma (DMG) is an incurable, aggressive childhood brain cancer. There are no effective treatments and most children die within 18 months of diagnosis.
Effective treatments for DMG will only be possible once we understand more about the development of this deadly cancer.
We awarded a PhD studentship to Dr Kate Atkinson in 2023, for a project focused on understanding the role of a gene mutation known as H3K27M in DMG. This mutation is very important in DMG and understanding exactly how it results in cancer could aid the development of new, targeted treatments.
Kate is modelling the effects of the mutation during brain development to understand its effects, helping to identify new treatment targets. Ultimately, we hope that this work will lead to trials of new treatments that have a good chance of working.
Read more: The developmental origins of diffuse midline glioma
The improvements in survival from childhood brain tumours are testament to the power of research. Thousands of young lives have been saved as a result of advances in treatment and care, driven by research investment.
But there is still far to go. Continued investment is needed if we are to develop treatments that are both effective and safe for children with all types of brain tumour.
Brain tumours are one of our three research priorities. We desperately want to accelerate research progress but we need your support.
