so what is
DIPG?
DIPG, or diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, is a type of brain tumor found in an area of the brainstem known as the pons. The name diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma describes how the tumor grows, where it is found, and what kinds of cells give rise to the tumor.
DIPG primarily affects children, with most diagnoses occurring between 5 and 7 years of age. It makes up 10-15% of all brain tumors in children, with about 150-300 new diagnoses per year in the United States. Unfortunately, fewer than 10% of children survive two years from diagnosis.
In 2011, The Cure Starts Now founded the DIPG Collaborative, a cooperative effort of independent foundations from around the world that join together to support long term DIPG research eliminating duplication, enhancing transparency and building cooperative channels. To date it has produced three DIPG Collaborative Symposiums featuring experts from over 15 different countries, supported the development of the International DIPG Registry and the SIOPe DIPG Registry and funded over $7.3 million in innovative trials.
Learn more about DIPG or the DIPG Collaborative
Let’s break it down
Diffuse
Diffuse means that the tumor is not well-contained – it grows out into other tissue so that cancer cells mix with healthy cells.
Intrinsic
Intrinsic simply means "in", referring to the point or origin.
Pontine
Pontine indicates that the tumor is found in a part of the brainstem called the pons. The pons is responsible for a number of important bodily functions, like breathing, sleeping, bladder control, and balance.
Glioma
Glioma is a general term for tumors originating from glial cells. Glial cells are found throughout the brain. They make up the white matter of the brain that surrounds and supports the neurons (neurons are cells that carry messages in the brain).
