Project 462638

Gliomas are the most common brain tumor and the most common cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in adolescent/young adults (AYA). While children are now successfully molecularly matched to modern targeted treatments, data was lacking on AYA-gliomas. In a unique effort, we recently screened >800 AYA patients and observed that >30% harbor pediatric type mutations. But these AYA pediatric-type gliomas are currently unrecognized and instead receive toxic non-effective chemoradiotherapy. To address this gap, we have established "Translating Research and Innovation to improve AYA Lives for Gliomas in Ontario (TRIAL-->GO)," a province-wide multidisciplinary AYA tumor board of major cancer centers across Ontario which has since expanded nationally. Here we will leverage this team to improve the cancer care path for AYA glioma patients. We will use cutting-edge diagnostic tools recently developed for the clinic to find the molecular events and match patients to the right therapy for their tumor. For uncharacterized molecular alterations, we will develop pre-clinical models that mimic AYA-glioma and test for the best therapy. Finally, we will gather data on treatment outcomes and determine if our diagnostic tools can reliably predict response to targeted inhibitors. Completion of this project will transform AYA-glioma treatment to improve quality of life and survival.