Latest News

• Hoops for Hannah: a March Madness Bracket Contest!        

  Hoops for Hannah is back for another year! This contest raises funds for brain tumor research in memory of Hannah Taylor. Contest entry is free, but you can also donate to our organization. There is a $1,000 prize! For details to enter, click here. 

  
  
• Repurposed Cancer Drug Demonstrates Potential to Treat High-Grade Gliomas        

  Avapritinib is FDA approved for stromal tumors and systemic mastocytosis. A collaboration across three institutions has now shown this drug may have promise in high grade glioma (HGG) because it can cross the blood-brain barrier and target PDGFRA mutations, which occur in about 15% of pediatric HGG cases. Based on positive preclinical results, the drug was given to a small group of patients through an expanded access program, and three out of seven had tumor shrinkage. Thanks to these positive real world results, HGG was included as an eligible condition for an ongoing Phase 1 pediatric trial testing the drug in multiple solid tumor types. 

  
  
• Studying Chemical Exposure and Brain Cancer Risk in Firefighters        

  A new study has reinforced previous research linking firefighting with cancer development. The study, published in Cancer, showed that glioma tumors in some firefighters exhibited a unique genetic signature associated with exposure to haloalkanes, chemicals found in flame retardants and fire extinguishants. The research compared tumors from firefighters and non-firefighters, showing more frequent haloalkane-related mutations in the firefighters' tumors. While the study is small, it suggests environmental chemicals may play a role in glioma development.

  
  
• LAM561 as add-on may delay glioblastoma disease progression        

  Interim analysis from the Phase 2/3 CLINGLIO trial suggests that adding the investigational therapy LAM561 to standard treatment may improve progression free survival (PFS) in newly diagnosed glioblastoma patients with MGMT methylation. While LAM561 was generally well tolerated, it didn't significantly improve PFS in the overall study population. However, in GBM patients with MGMT-methylated tumors, the LAM561 group had a median PFS of 86.4 weeks compared to 54.7 weeks for standard of care alone. Final trial results, including the drug's effect on overall survival, are expected by the end of 2026.