Funded by the Dick Vitale Pediatric Cancer Research Fund
Brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. While recent advances in neuro-oncology have helped us understand the biology of what is causing brain tumors to develop and grow, many children with brain tumors will still have a dismal prognosis. These tumors can be refractory to upfront treatment, such as radiation or chemotherapy, and there is need for better options. CAR T-cell therapy is a new type of treatment that uses the patient’s own immune cells and modifies them in the lab to recognize and kill cancer cells. CAR T-cell therapies are highly specific to the cancer cells. In our clinical study, we are evaluating the safety and anti-cancer activity of CAR T cells for pediatric patients with brain tumors.
