title: New delivery approaches for pediatric brain tumors.
abstract: For many types of childhood brain tumors, including malignant gliomas, disease progression at the primary site is the predominant mode of treatment failure. Accordingly, interest has been directed during the last decade on exploring strategies to enhance the delivery of therapeutically active agents into the tumor microenvironment. Two approaches that have been the focus of considerable attention in the treatment of adult malignant brain tumors include interstitial administration of chemotherapeutic agents using time-release polymers and convection-enhanced delivery of immunotoxin conjugates targeted to receptors overexpressed in brain tumors relative to normal brain cells. Although it remains to be determined whether these approaches will lead to meaningful improvements in disease control and long-term prognosis in children with brain tumors, the encouraging results from studies in adults support the rationale for further exploring these strategies in the pediatric setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Brain Tumor Center, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. ian.pollack@chp.edu
authors.forename: Ian F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Keating
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002648:Child; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D018450:Disease Progression; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D006801:Humans; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011108:Polymers
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D000922:Immunotoxins; D011108:Polymers