The Society for Neuro-Oncology Launches Virtual Pediatric Molecular Tumor Board Series Shelley Pressley, MBA, CMP, Director of Administration Society for Neuro-Oncology
There has been an explosion of knowledge regarding the biological nature of brain tumors arising in infants, children, and the adolescent and young adult (AYA) population over the last ten to fifteen years, with an increasing number of molecular types and sub-types of brain tumors being recognized. As historical brain tumor diagnoses are now being refined and replaced with new molecular types of brain tumors, molecularly annotated clinical data to inform the best standard of care therapy, particularly for more rare types of tumors, are critically lacking. Thus, the prescribed therapy for patients, with the same rare tumor histology, can often vary depending on the treating institutions or region of the world, making
direct comparisons and establishing uniform medical patient management guidelines challenging. Based on age at diagnosis and location of the tumor, even the more common pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors can present unique surgical and medical challenges, requiring the need for complex multi-disciplinary care to achieve best patient outcomes. Furthermore, with improved molecular knowledge, has come an increasing cadre of novel targeted therapies that a pediatric brain tumor doctor needs to keep in their armamentarium. SNO’s Pediatric Molecular Tumor Board Series With the intent to “learn from every child with a brain tumor diagnosis,
anywhere in the world”, the Society for Neuro-Oncology (SNO) Pediatric Special Interest Track has launched the Pediatric Molecular Tumor Board Series with the objective to advance education on clinical management of pediatric brain tumor patients in the molecular era. The SNO Tumor Board aims have been created to provide a live forum to share clinical expertise and patient-based experiences by bringing together multi-disciplinary clinical experts in pediatric diagnostic imaging, pathology, surgery, radiation oncology, medical oncology and clinical scientists. These specialists participate in an in-depth round-table discussion on all aspects of patient care, including medical approaches, use of conventional and ➤ Brain Tumour
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