Closing date for our Research Assistant post closes next week! A fantastic opportunity to help tackle children’s cancer. Details below!

We’re underway! Thrilled to welcome 650+ delegates to our biggest ever conference: multiple educational streams now underway! #CCLG2024

𝗪𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗘𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘅. 𝗪𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗢𝗻𝗲 🫶

We are delighted to announce that Essex has been awarded a Tier One professional women's team!

The news comes after a successful bid to become one of eight teams from 2025, in partnership with University of Essex & Essex Rebels Basketball.

Hanging out with the pediatric oncologist

Thanks to all the SIOPE 🎗️ Brain Tumour - Germ Cell Tumour Group for their help in shaping this and co-authors Manuel Diezi and Barry Pizer Cambridge Pathology Malignant Germ Cell International Consortium Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Cancer Research UK CRUKCambridgeCentre Brain Cancer Virtual Institute

Thank you to the whole SIOPE 🎗️ Brain Tumour Group – CNS GCT Subgroup for their authorship of this review along with all contributors! 12/12 Read the full paper here doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcp…

Working collaboratively and standardising processes is important so that all patients with CNS GCT across Europe receive the best management, treatment, and quality care. This will also facilitate #ClinicalTrials 11/12

Ongoing research will be important to maintain excellent cure rates but reduce toxicity for pure germinoma and improve cure rates forNGGCT. Future studies will look to incorporate microRNA biomarkers into diagnosis, and investigate & identify suitable targeted therapies 10/12

As tissue biopsies aren’t always required and where taken are small (due to surgical risks), biobanking is challenging. BUT all patients have serum & CSF routinely collected to measure markers so patients should be approached about biobanking to facilitate molecular studies 9/12

Treatment strategies for this diverse group vary: pure germinoma respond well to chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy alone, but NGGCTs need combined more aggressive chemo-radiotherapy for cure. Pure teratomas normally require surgery alone
8/12

Consideration of patient age, clinical presentation, MRI imaging, marker levels and histology (for those undergoing biopsy) is critical in establishing the most accurate diagnosis and guiding management and treatment decisions 7/12

Serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) markers termed alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) aid diagnosis and reduce the need for neurosurgical biopsy.Important as these tumours typically lie quite centrally in the brain and can be difficult to access 6/12

Incidence rates vary globally, but predominantly affect teens & young adults and more often males than females. Rates are higher in Asia, suggesting genetic factors may be important 5/12

CNS GCT covers a variety of tumours: germinoma, yolk sac tumour (endodermal sinus tumour), embryonal carcinoma, choriocarcinoma, teratoma and other mixed tumours. Normally these are split: pure germinoma, non-germinomatous GCT (NGGCT), and pure teratoma for management 4/12

For patients with tumours in the pineal region ⬇️, patients typically present with raised intracranial pressure (headaches and vomiting, usually worse in the morning) and loss of being able to look upward (‘Parinaud’ syndrome) 3/12

Diagnosis first involves recognising signs & symptoms, depending on the initial site – most commonly in the suprasellar and pineal regions, or both. For suprasellar tumours ⬇️, patients typically present with hormone disturbances e.g. diabetes insipidus or growth failure 2/12

Central nervous system germ cell tumours (CNS GCT) are a diverse group of tumours affecting mostly teens& young adults. This new review in EJCPO @SIOPEuropeand led by Matthew Murray looks at current management and future research: doi.org/10.1016/j.ejcp… 🧵 1/12

#FundraiserOftheMonth for Feb 24 was awarded to Hannah, who felt inspired to help after two of her cousins were diagnosed with cancer. Hannah has raised £2771.45. We couldn’t be doing what we’re doing without our amazing fundraisers.

Read the full story: bit.ly/3vbem9D.

Incredible work by the team in describing the clinical features, cancer spectrum, and biology of CMMRD. Check it out!