A twenty-year review of diagnosing and treating children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma in The Netherlands. Issue 2 (February 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Veldhuijzen van Zanten, Sophie EM; Jansen, Marc HA; Sanchez Aliaga, Esther; van Vuurden, Dannis G; Vandertop, W Peter; Kaspers, Gertjan JL
• Is Part Of: Expert review of anticancer therapy. Volume 15:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 157
• Page End: 164
• Publication Date: 2014-02
• Subjects: Cancer -- Treatment -- Periodicals; 616.99406
• DOI: 10.1586/14737140.2015.974563
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1473-7140

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p>Introduction: Children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) face a dismal prognosis, with a median overall survival of 9 months. Our aims are to determine the incidence of DIPG in the Netherlands and to identify points for improvement in clinical research, a prerequisite for increasing the chance to find a cure. Methods: We performed a population-based retrospective cohort study by evaluating all children diagnosed with DIPG in the Netherlands between 1990 and 2010. Results: The incidence of DIPG in the Netherlands corresponds with international literature. Between 1990 and 2010, a large heterogeneity of treatment schedules was applied and only a minority of patients was included in clinical trials. Discussion: Given the rarity of DIPG, we emphasize the need for (inter-)national trials to facilitate the identification of potentially effective therapeutics in the future. This can be supported by the recent development of a European DIPG registry enabling international study collaborations.</p> </abstract>