Medical Research on Childhood Brain Tumors

Until now, there are no known causes of brain tumors and little complete/accurate data on Pediatric Low Grade Astrocytomas (PLGAs). In May 2005, families associated with PLGA Foundation and fightjpa.org convened a group of leading researchers and expert clinicians at the first ever JPA Workshop.

Their common goal was to identify new, non-toxic, non-invasive treatments, with no side effects or impairments, and a cure for those patients who live with Juvenile Pilocytic Astrocytoma (JPA) residing in critical, life-threatening locations in the brain. Defining a scientific agenda, strategy and plan for understanding these brain tumors was needed to provide the foundation for investigations of the causes for PLGA tumors. Armed with this information, these families, along with the PLGA Foundation, funded 7 cutting edge research projects AND launched the first dedicated PLGA Research program at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute. 

According to Dr. Mark Kieran, Director Pediatric Neuro-Oncology at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, "Dramatic advances in our capacity to diagnose, treat, and prevent cancers have brought us to a moment when scientific discovery and technology have converged to turn the tide in our fight against these diseases. YET, even with medicine's many advances, low-grade astrocytomas remain largely under researched and under funded, with treatments unchanged for 20 years. Little is know about low-grade gliomas (LGG) as attention and funding focused on these types of tumors has lagged behind that of high-grade gliomas. Without funding, there is no research. Without research, there is little hope for children diagnosed with PLGA."

PLGA Foundation(formerly fightjpa.org) families and friends have successfully raised more than $6 million in the past 3 years (with committments for another $3 million over the course of the next 2 years) to make cutting edge PLGA research possible.

On May 19th, 2008 Drs. Mark Kieran and Chuck Stiles, co-directors for the PLGA Research Program, met with a small group of families whose children have these types of brain tumors to explain the operating research strategy behind the PLGA Research program and describe two of the landmark projects that are under way.  The first project, establishment of an international Tumor Tissue Bank, and the second, development of three NEW clinical trial protocols.  The PLGA Research Program is funded by families associated with the PLGA Foundation and welcomes new donors at any time.  Video snippets from the conference can be seen by viewing "Dana Farber's PLGA Research Program Update"

The PLGA Foundation welcomes cutting-edge pediatric low grade astrocytoma studies from ANY medical institution, both national and international. While there is no formal request for proposal protocol at this time, interested scientists and physicians may contact the PLGA Foundation (contact@fightplga.org) with a letter of interest at any time. Grants are distributed year round.

The time for generating brain tumor specific research studies is now. With new scientific advances, experts believe we can find more effective therapies for children's brain tumors.

To help fund more research on children's brain tumors, please donate to the PLGA Foundation.