Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) are a dramatic health problem due to their high morbidity and mortality in all ages. In the pediatric population, brain tumors constitute the second most common cancer diagnosed worldwide each year, accounting for approximately 25% of childhood cancers. Although there has been a moderate increase in survival rates for children with CNS tumors over the past decades, CNS tumors remain the second leading cause of cancer death in children less than 20 years of age.
The fifth edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System (WHO CNS5) was recently released. This builds on the 2016 WHO CNS tumor update, which for the first time incorporated molecular data with histology in classifying CNS tumors. The changes in the WHO CNS5 group tumors into more biologically and molecularly defined entities with better characterized natural histories, as well as introducing new tumor types and subtypes, especially in the pediatric population. Most importantly, these updated classifications will enable clinicians to have a better understanding of the prognosis and optimal therapy for patients with specific CNS tumors. Therefore, optimizing the treatment of childhood CNS tumors remains a tremendously challenging task, requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving many pediatric specialists as well as the support of molecular biologists and pharmacologists.
The aim of this Research Topic is to examine the innovative aspects of diagnosis and treatment of children with CNS tumors, focusing on the new aspects highlighted in the WHO CNS5 and their implication in diagnosis, prognosis, stratification, and target therapies on patients.
This Research Topic will cover all the aspects of pediatric central nervous system tumors.
We welcome the submission of Original Research articles focusing on:
• advancing new concepts in genomics,
• methylation profiling;
• targetable lesions;
• clinical trials;
• new entities
We welcome the submission of Review articles on the use of narrative medicine in pediatric neuro-oncology within this Research Topic.
We aim to focus on seven specific categories of tumors:
1. H3K27M-altered glioma;
2. High-grade glioma with special focus on infantile high-grade glioma;
3. Low-grade glioma;
4. Medulloblastoma;
5. Ependymoma;
6. Other embryonal tumors;
7. Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors;
8. Rare tumors. Translational papers covering different tumors and/or therapeutic strategies will be preferred.
Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) are a dramatic health problem due to their high morbidity and mortality in all ages. In the pediatric population, brain tumors constitute the second most common cancer diagnosed worldwide each year, accounting for approximately 25% of childhood cancers. Although there has been a moderate increase in survival rates for children with CNS tumors over the past decades, CNS tumors remain the second leading cause of cancer death in children less than 20 years of age.
The fifth edition of the World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System (WHO CNS5) was recently released. This builds on the 2016 WHO CNS tumor update, which for the first time incorporated molecular data with histology in classifying CNS tumors. The changes in the WHO CNS5 group tumors into more biologically and molecularly defined entities with better characterized natural histories, as well as introducing new tumor types and subtypes, especially in the pediatric population. Most importantly, these updated classifications will enable clinicians to have a better understanding of the prognosis and optimal therapy for patients with specific CNS tumors. Therefore, optimizing the treatment of childhood CNS tumors remains a tremendously challenging task, requiring a multidisciplinary approach involving many pediatric specialists as well as the support of molecular biologists and pharmacologists.
The aim of this Research Topic is to examine the innovative aspects of diagnosis and treatment of children with CNS tumors, focusing on the new aspects highlighted in the WHO CNS5 and their implication in diagnosis, prognosis, stratification, and target therapies on patients.
This Research Topic will cover all the aspects of pediatric central nervous system tumors.
We welcome the submission of Original Research articles focusing on:
• advancing new concepts in genomics,
• methylation profiling;
• targetable lesions;
• clinical trials;
• new entities
We welcome the submission of Review articles on the use of narrative medicine in pediatric neuro-oncology within this Research Topic.
We aim to focus on seven specific categories of tumors:
1. H3K27M-altered glioma;
2. High-grade glioma with special focus on infantile high-grade glioma;
3. Low-grade glioma;
4. Medulloblastoma;
5. Ependymoma;
6. Other embryonal tumors;
7. Atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumors;
8. Rare tumors. Translational papers covering different tumors and/or therapeutic strategies will be preferred.
![Brain computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and pathology of the primary site of case 1. The axial CT images show a diffuse low-density centered in the enlarged pons with the flattening of the fourth ventricle and surrounding structures [(A), arrow]. Axial MRI images confirm the lesion characterized by a homogeneous high signal on T2 image (B) involving more than 50% of the pons with limited restricted areas on diffusion-weighted imaging [DWI, (C)]. The MRI also showed areas within the lesion characterized by high cerebral blood volume (CBV) values on perfusion sequences [(D), arrows]. The lesion presents few necrotic components on the left side [(B, F), arrow] with areas defined by a low signal on susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) sequences due to hemosiderin deposition [(E), arrow] and peripheral enhancement on T1 post-contrast sequences [(F), arrow]. The T2W images also demonstrated the basilar artery encasement [(B), arrowhead]. Histological examination confirmed the radiological diagnosis of DIPG, showing an infiltrative glial cell proliferation [H&E, (G)], which displayed the expression of H3K27M mutation (H) and the loss of H3K27me3 protein expression (I).](https://www.frontiersin.org/_rtmag/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.frontiersin.org%2Ffiles%2FArticles%2F1152430%2Ffnmol-16-1152430-HTML%2Fimage_m%2Ffnmol-16-1152430-g001.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
