Tumor treating fields in pediatric high-grade glioma

• Published in: Child's nervous system Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 1043 - 1045
• Main Authors: Green, Adam L., Mulcahy Levy, Jean M., Vibhakar, Rajeev, Hemenway, Molly, Madden, Jennifer, Foreman, Nicholas, Dorris, Kathleen
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.07.2017
• Subjects: Adolescent; Antineoplastic Agents - therapeutic use; Brain Neoplasms - therapy; Brief Communication; Child; Combined Modality Therapy; Electric Stimulation Therapy - methods; Female; Glioma - therapy; Humans; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neurosciences; Neurosurgery; Radiotherapy; Treatment Outcome; Young Adult; Novocure; Case series; Optune; Glioblastoma
• ISSN: 0256-7040; 1433-0350
• DOI: 10.1007/s00381-017-3431-0

Purpose Tumor treating fields (TTF) are alternating electric fields applied continuously to the scalp. The treatment is approved for both primary and recurrent supratentorial adult glioblastoma but unstudied in children. Methods We report a feasibility case series of five pediatric high-grade glioma patients (ages 10–20 years) treated at our institution with TTF along with chemotherapy and/or radiation. Results Two patients began therapy at second recurrence and showed progressive disease. Two others were treated upfront after radiation therapy, and both showed partial responses. A fifth patient was treated at first recurrence and also showed a partial response. All five tolerated TTF well without treatment-limiting toxicities. Conclusions The tolerability of TTF, combined with the adult data, justify a pediatric clinical trial.