Joseph M Sanzari Childrens Hospital Offers Clinical Trial for Children and Young Adults Diagnosed with Aggressive or Recurrent Brain Tumor

What You Need to Know

Hackensack Meridian Children’s Health is one of a dozen pediatric networks in the country participating in a trial studying the treatment of an aggressive cancer of the brain.

Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital at Hackensack University Medical Center — a member of the global Pacific Pediatric Neuro-Oncology Consortium (PNOC) research group — is participating in a PNOC clinical trial for children and young adults with recurrent or progressive high-grade glioma (HGG). The hospital is the only center in the New York metropolitan area to offer this trial.

The randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial will evaluate local and systemic immunological changes, and the safety and efficacy of checkpoint inhibition therapy (CPIT) when delivered prior to surgery. CPIT works by releasing the checkpoints that prevent the immune system’s T-cells from identifying and attacking cancer cells.

Trial participants will be randomly divided into three groups. Group A will receive a one-time dose of immunotherapy medication nivolumab and placebo prior to surgery. Group B will receive a one-time dose of nivolumab and ipilimumab, another immunotherapy medication, prior to surgery. Group C will receive a one-time dose of placebo and ipilimumab prior to surgery. 

After surgical tumor resection, all patients will receive three doses of nivolumab and ipilimumab administered every three weeks, followed by nivolumab every two weeks.