Pediatric High-grade Glioma

A pediatric glioma is a kind of brain tumor that starts in glial stem cells — cells that normally develop into glial cells that support and nourish neurons in a child’s brain. The World Health Organization classifies gliomas into four grades based on the tumor cells' microscopic and genetic characteristics. 

The higher a tumor's grade number, the more severe it is. Grades 1 and 2 are considered low-grade gliomas. Grades 3 and 4 are considered high-grade gliomas. These tumors tend to grow and spread quickly into surrounding healthy brain tissue.

As a glioma grows, it infiltrates into surrounding healthy parts of the brain, thereby affecting function. As such, the symptoms of a pediatric glioma depend heavily on the tumor's size and location. Some of the most common symptoms of a pediatric glioma include:

• Headache
• Frequent vomiting
• Seizures
• Lethargy
• Motor weakness
• Vision problems such as double vision, blurry vision, or loss of vision
• Difficulty walking or balancing
• Confusion or memory loss
• Behavioral and cognitive difficulties

To diagnose a pediatric glioma, your child’s doctor will take their medical history and perform physical and neurological exams. The doctor may order an imaging study such as an MRI or CT scan.

If imaging shows a tumor, the next step is a biopsy or tissue sample. Our skilled neuropathologists will use state-of-art techniques to analyze the tumor, including its molecular and genetic makeup. This will confirm the diagnosis and help inform your child’s treatment plan.

Our treatment approach for pediatric gliomas is personalized for each patient depending on several factors, including the tumor's type, location, and genetic profile. Our clinicians will offer treatment options that may include surgery, radiation, and medical therapies including conventional chemotherapy, targeted agents, and immunotherapy.

We also offer innovative clinical trials for children with high-grade gliomas. Some of these are led by our own physicians, while others are available through our participation in collaborative clinical trial groups such as the Children's Oncology Group (COG), Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium (PBTC), CONNECT (Collaborative Network for Neuro-Oncology), and the Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC).

We treat children and teens with gliomas in the High-Grade Glioma Program, part of the Brain Tumor Center at Dana-Farber/Boston Children's — one of the largest and most experienced pediatric glioma programs in the world. Our glioma specialists — a team of neuro-oncologists, surgeons, pathologists, radiation oncologists, and physician-scientists — focus solely on the care of children diagnosed with gliomas.

Our team is also at the forefront of research into the underpinnings of pediatric high-grade gliomas, which could ultimately open the door to new treatments.