Brain and spinal cord tumours are the second most common group of children’s cancers and are the most common cause of cancer-related death in children. Survival for some children’s brain tumours hasn’t improved much since the 1970s, and for those who do recover often long-term side effects from treatment impacts quality of life. Limited progress in this disease area is due to several factors including:
- Inaccurate pre-clinical pipelines with poorly characterised models
- Failed extrapolation of drugs designed for adult tumours
- Lack of assessment in context of other treatment regimens
New approaches are needed to transform treatments for these tumours
CRUK are prioritising children’s cancers and developing more effective and less toxic treatments. Read more about CRUK’s commitment to tackling cancer in children and young people and the different types of children’s brain tumours.
Clinical Trials
New treatments are evaluated in clinical trials which help to find out information on safety and efficacy compared to the current treatment (often termed ‘standard of care’). For information about clinical trials in brain and spinal cord tumours in children, please see CRUK’s page with up to date details.
The CRUK Children’s Brain Tumour Centre of Excellence
Work at the Centre aims to transform treatments of brain tumours in children and young people through bringing new treatments to the clinic and reducing side effects compared to current treatment strategies. We are committed to training and inspiring the next generation of researchers to work in this field. The Centre also connects researchers throughout the U.K and internationally and provides valuable resources and events for the community.
