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Abbreviations

Abbreviations

GMB

Adult glioblastoma

pHGG

Paediatric high-grade glioma

UNCAN

EU initiative for understanding cancer

MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging 

SOC

Standard of care

I/O

Immuno-oncology

TTF

Tumour treating fields

International Childhood Cancer Day 2026

On International Childhood Cancer Day 2026, GLIOMATCH highlights the urgent need for research into paediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs), rare and aggressive brain tumours affecting children. With a median survival of just over one year and no curative treatment available, collaborative research efforts are essential to better understand the disease, develop dedicated models, and tailor therapies that improve outcomes and quality of life for young patients and their families.

About ICCD

International Childhood Cancer Day (ICCD) is a global collaborative campaign held every year on 15 February to raise awareness about childhood cancer and the unique challenges faced by children and adolescents with cancer, survivors, and their families worldwide. The day was created by Childhood Cancer International (CCI), a global network of parent organisations and childhood cancer support groups, and highlights the need for greater understanding, solidarity and equitable access to treatment and care for all children with cancer regardless of where they live. Find out more on the ICCD’s website.

Advancing Research for Children with Paediatric High-Grade Gliomas

Paediatric high-grade gliomas (pHGGs) are malignant brain tumours affecting children. The survival rates for children suffering from pHGG are very low, with a median survival of just over one year. This poses an enormous burden on the patients and a very heavy emotional burden on parents and caregivers.

Gliomas in children have very specific genetic alterations that we do not find in their adult counterparts. From a biological point of view, they are completely different. Therefore, it is important to focus our research on developing models to study these paediatric high-grade gliomas.

Currently, the only proven life-prolonging treatment for pHGG is radiotherapy, and we still do not have a curative treatment. This makes it incredibly important to better understand the disease. By doing so, we can guide patients towards the therapies that are most beneficial for them and their quality of life. Through building and analysing a large cohort of pHGG, GLIOMATCH aims to better study this disease and further tailor treatment for our patients.

It is incredibly difficult to face parents with the fate of their children. That is why it is so important that we move the field forward. As this is a very rare disease, it is essential to unite knowledge, work in large consortia, and pool all the information we can from different teams. This is the only way we can improve outcomes for children affected by this disease.

On the occasion of International Childhood Cancer Day, we also highlight the contribution of our GLIOMATCH partners from KU Leuven (KUL) and University Hospitals Leuven (UZL), who participated in the Glioblastoma Research Organisation’s ‘GBM Podcast’.

In the episode, Prof. Dr. Sandra Jacobs, paediatric oncologist at the University Hospital of Leuven, presents a dedicated segment (from minute 40 onwards) focusing on paediatric gliomas, the key challenges in treating this rare and aggressive disease, and the impact GLIOMATCH is striving to achieve to improve outcomes for affected children.

We invite you to watch the episode and learn more about how collaborative research is working to move the field forward.

Follow GLIOMATCH on LinkedIn and Facebook for more information on brain tumour research and updates on our milestones towards improving the clinical outcomes of GBM and pHGG.

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