Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG): A review of current and emerging treatment strategies

Luke J Weisbrod; Anand Thiraviyam; Raghupathy Vengoji; Nicole Shonka; Maneesh Jain; Winson Ho; Surinder K Batra; Afshin Salehi

doi:10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216876

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG): A review of current and emerging treatment strategies

Cancer Lett. 2024 May 28:590:216876. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216876. Epub 2024 Apr 10.

Authors

Luke J Weisbrod¹, Anand Thiraviyam², Raghupathy Vengoji², Nicole Shonka³, Maneesh Jain⁴, Winson Ho⁵, Surinder K Batra⁴, Afshin Salehi⁶

Affiliations

¹ Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA.
² Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA.
³ Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA; Department of Internal Medicine, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA.
⁴ Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA; Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA; Eppley Institute for Research in Cancer and Allied Diseases, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA.
⁵ Department of Neurosurgery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94143, USA.
⁶ Department of Neurosurgery, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68198-5870, USA; Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Nebraska, Omaha, NE, 68114, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 38609002
PMCID: PMC11231989 (available on 2025-05-28)
DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216876

Abstract

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a childhood malignancy of the brainstem with a dismal prognosis. Despite recent advances in its understanding at the molecular level, the prognosis of DIPG has remained unchanged. This article aims to review the current understanding of the genetic pathophysiology of DIPG and to highlight promising therapeutic targets. Various DIPG treatment strategies have been investigated in pre-clinical studies, several of which have shown promise and have been subsequently translated into ongoing clinical trials. Ultimately, a multifaceted therapeutic approach that targets cell-intrinsic alterations, the micro-environment, and augments the immune system will likely be necessary to eradicate DIPG.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Brain Stem Neoplasms* / drug therapy
Brain Stem Neoplasms* / genetics
Brain Stem Neoplasms* / pathology
Brain Stem Neoplasms* / therapy
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma* / drug therapy
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma* / genetics
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma* / pathology
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma* / therapy
Humans
Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
Prognosis
Tumor Microenvironment

Abstract

Publication types

MeSH terms

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