AKH Vienna opens specialist brain tumour centre for children

ORF reports that an internationally recognised brain tumour centre for children and teenagers has been established at AKH Vienna, where specialists from several disciplines will coordinate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up care.

More than 100 types of brain tumour are found in children and teenagers. Prognoses depend on the tumour type, its location, molecular characteristics and available treatments, but they remain poor in many cases.

Children with low-grade brain tumours often have long-term survival rates of more than 90 percent. High-grade tumours are among the most aggressive cancers in childhood, with average survival of 12 months. Treatment for these tumour types has not significantly improved in recent decades.

Johannes Gojo, professor of paediatric neuro-oncology at AKH Vienna, said the centre had developed new treatments and approaches and was investigating promising candidates through clinical studies and laboratory research at the University of Vienna.

The need for research is driven not only by the high mortality rate, Gojo said, but also by the lasting health problems faced by many survivors. Children and teenagers who overcome a brain tumour often require professional support for long-term effects.

Focus on precision medicine

The centre aims to better understand the molecular characteristics of individual tumours and use that knowledge to develop personalised treatments. MedUni Vienna is involved in numerous international studies and research networks.

Gojo said aggressive tumour subtypes remained a major challenge. Research, international cooperation and clinical expertise would need to be closely connected to develop new treatments more quickly and improve both survival and quality of life for affected children and teenagers.