EPCT-08. TRIAL WORKING GROUPS FOR PAEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOURS

INTRODUCTION: Brain tumours are the biggest cancer killer in children and young adults. Several recent developments have the potential to change the treatment of brain tumours in children. These include ultrasound-mediated blood-brain barrier disruption, convection enhanced delivery, polymer delivery systems and electric field therapy, as well as intra-arterial, intra-CSF and intra-nasal chemotherapy. To date, there have been very few clinical trials to evaluate any of these. The science and technology underlying these developments is not traditionally embedded within the standard paediatric neuro-oncology network. In addition, custom-built hardware, novel surgical procedures and, in some cases, the testing and licensing of implantable devices, add difficulty at the regulatory level. METHODS: The authors participated in an international workshop funded by the charity Children with Cancer UK in 2016, where different experimental techniques aimed at optimising CNS drug delivery were discussed. Following this workshop and two subsequent workshops run by the CBTDDC (Children’s Brain Tumour Drug Delivery Consortium) in 2018 and 2020, the CBTDDC and the recently developed ITCC (Innovative Therapies for Children with Cancer) brain tumour group started working together to set up a new initiative. This aims to develop CNS-delivery-focused trial working groups for paediatric brain tumours. RESULTS: We have assembled a prestigious steering group, comprising international researchers and clinicians with expertise in diverse aspects of translational and clinical research in CNS drug delivery. At our first group meeting in March, participants will discuss the most effective ways of translating the emerging drug delivery modalities into clinical trials. Prioritised actions will be taken forward and the group will reconvene to discuss developments and next steps at a workshop in the Autumn. CONCLUSION: We present this abstract to the SNO Paediatric conference to raise awareness of this initiative with the large number of relevant stakeholders who will be attending the event.