A Study of Lower Radiotherapy Dose to Treat Children With CNS Germinoma

This study is looking for children and young adults between the ages of 3 and 29 years old who have recently been diagnosed with a brain tumour called a germinoma. This includes germinomas found in specific areas of the brain, such as the suprasellar and/or pineal regions, or the basal ganglia and thalamic areas.

You might be eligible even if your tumour has spread slightly to nearby areas or to other parts of the brain or spine. Some specific blood or spinal fluid tests will be looked at to confirm your eligibility. If you've had surgery for your tumour, the imaging scans taken after your surgery will be used to help decide if you can join. You'll also need to be generally well enough to take part in the study, which doctors will assess.

If you decide to take part in this study, you would first have chemotherapy using medicines called Carboplatin and Etoposide. After chemotherapy, you would then receive radiation therapy, specifically 3-Dimensional Conformal Proton Radiation Therapy or Intensity-Modulated Proton Therapy, but at a lower dose than standard treatment. Throughout the study, you would have regular checks including MRI scans of your brain to monitor the tumour, blood tests, and possibly procedures like a lumbar puncture (where a small sample of fluid is taken from your spine).

Doctors will also collect biospecimens (like tissue samples), and you might be asked to fill out questionnaires about how you are feeling and how the treatment is affecting you. There will also be specific tests to see how your thinking skills are doing over time. The total duration of the chemotherapy and radiation part of the treatment will be determined by the study plan, but follow-up will continue for a longer period to monitor long-term health.