Clinical trials

Treatment for children with a brain tumour still needs to develop as between 40-45% of children will not survive. Children who have a tumour spread at diagnosis have an even lower chance of survival with approximately 50-70% dying from the disease. Clinical trials are important to try to improve treatment and therefore the outcome for children with a brain tumour. Ideally all newly diagnosed children should be offered a clinical trial. Clinical trials may or may not lead to a better outcome and the effects of these trials may not be known for years as results may depend on 3 or 5 year survival rates. The child’s oncologist will advise of any suitable trials available for your child.

For information on current trials click on the links:

Trials

• Radiotherapy and chemotherapy for children older than 3 years with medulloblastoma.
• Using magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) to help diagnose and treat children and teenagers with brain tumours.
• Radiotherapy and chemotherapy for children with non-pineal supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal brain tumours.

SDBTT is supporting these trials through the provision of two trial co-ordinators and a statistician.

For more information on understanding clinical trials, please click on the link:
http://www.cancerhelp.org.uk/trials/understanding/default.asp?page=52#aim

The information provided is by kind permission of CancerHelp UK. It is not a substitute for medical advice and it must be noted that clinical trials change over time. The SDBTT William Doolin Fund cannot accept any responsibility for changes to information provided.