Clinical Outcomes and New Treatments in Pediatric Brain Tumors

A special issue of Current Oncology (ISSN 1718-7729). This special issue belongs to the section "Neuro-Oncology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 1268

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Division of Child Neurology, CHU Sainte-Justine, Montréal, QC H3T 1C5, Canada
Interests: pediatric neuro-oncologie; low-grade gliomas; targeted therapy; clinical trials

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Guest Editor
Division of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, IWK Health Centre, Halifax, NS B3K 6R8, Canada
Interests: pediatric neuro-oncology; response assessment; pediatric high-grade glioma; infant medulloblastoma

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Brain tumors are currently the leading cause of cancer deaths in pediatrics. The heterogeneity and aggressiveness of pediatric brain tumors have historically made them difficult to treat. The purpose of this Special Issue is to discuss the latest clinical outcomes and therapeutic treatments for pediatric brain tumors. Given the fact that new treatment approaches now overlap multiple tumor types, we will cover topics by reviewing various fields, from targeted therapies to new surgical techniques.

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

  1. Medical and patient perspectives;
  2. Observational approaches;
  3. Targeted therapies;
  4. Other small molecules;
  5. Chemotherapy;
  6. Immunotherapy;
  7. Radiation therapy approaches;
  8. Surgery;
  9. New devices;
  10. Approaches to reduce toxicity.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Sébastien Perreault
Dr. Craig Erker
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Keywords

  • pediatric neuro-oncology
  • central nervous system tumors
  • treatment approaches

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

14 pages, 488 KiB  
Review
Tumor-Treating Fields and Related Treatments in the Management of Pediatric Brain Tumors
by Julien Rousseau, Sarah Lapointe and David Roberge
Curr. Oncol. 2025, 32(4), 185; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32040185 - 21 Mar 2025
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Abstract
Pediatric primary brain tumors pose significant therapeutic challenges due to their aggressive nature and the critical environment of the developing brain. Traditional modalities like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy often achieve limited success in high-grade gliomas and embryonal tumors. Tumor-treating fields (TTfields), a non-invasive [...] Read more.
Pediatric primary brain tumors pose significant therapeutic challenges due to their aggressive nature and the critical environment of the developing brain. Traditional modalities like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy often achieve limited success in high-grade gliomas and embryonal tumors. Tumor-treating fields (TTfields), a non-invasive therapy delivering alternating electric fields, has emerged as a promising approach to disrupt tumor cell division through mechanisms such as mitotic disruption, DNA damage, and tumor microenvironment modulation. TTfields are thought to selectively target dividing tumor cells while sparing healthy, non-dividing cells. While TTfields therapy is FDA-approved for the management of glioblastoma and other cancers, its application in pediatric brain tumors remains under investigation. Preclinical studies reveal its potential in medulloblastoma and ependymoma models, while observational data suggest its safety and feasibility in children. Current research focuses on optimizing TTfields’ efficacy through advanced technologies, including high-intensity arrays, skull remodeling, and integration with immunotherapies such as immune checkpoint inhibitors. Innovative device-based therapies like magnetic field-based technologies further expand the treatment possibilities. As clinical trials progress, TTfields and related modalities offer hope for addressing unmet needs in pediatric neuro-oncology, especially for tumors in challenging locations. Future directions include biomarker identification, tailored protocols, and novel therapeutic combinations to enhance outcomes in pediatric brain tumor management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Outcomes and New Treatments in Pediatric Brain Tumors)
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28 pages, 1398 KiB  
Review
Pediatric CNS Radiation Oncology: Recent Developments and Novel Techniques
by Justin Oh, Samir Patel, Mary-Pat Schlosser, Andrew J. Arifin, Carol Oliveira, Anne-Marie Charpentier and Derek S. Tsang
Curr. Oncol. 2025, 32(3), 180; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol32030180 - 20 Mar 2025
Viewed by 521
Abstract
Radiation therapy (RT) is a cornerstone in the management of pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Recent advancements in RT delivery and techniques aim to enhance therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing both acute and long-term complications associated with pediatric brain RT. This paper highlights [...] Read more.
Radiation therapy (RT) is a cornerstone in the management of pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors. Recent advancements in RT delivery and techniques aim to enhance therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing both acute and long-term complications associated with pediatric brain RT. This paper highlights innovative developments in the field, including the clinical indications, benefits, and challenges of proton therapy and stereotactic radiotherapy. The ongoing refinement of risk-adapted RT volumes is highlighted, with examples of newly proposed germinoma RT volumes and hippocampal-sparing RT. Additionally, emerging experimental approaches, including FLASH therapy and theranostics, are also discussed as promising future directions. Further prospective, multi-institutional collaborative studies are essential to validate and expand upon the benefits outlined in this review. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Clinical Outcomes and New Treatments in Pediatric Brain Tumors)
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