Pediatric Brain Tumor miRNA Profiling for the Cohort of Children’s Brain Tumor Network Specimens

The leading cause of disease related death in children is pediatric brain tumors. Surgery remains the main form of treatment for such tumors, however many brain tumors are unable to be fully removed with surgery. There are many factors that could lead to new and more effective therapies, including greater understanding of tumor genetics, comprehensive preclinical tests, and sensitive methods to assess tumor response to treatment. Mapping tumor molecular characteristics towards the discovery of tumor-related biomarkers, or observable changes in the body related cancer progression could lead to advancements in therapies, preclinical tests, and ongoing assessments. Using RNA samples provided by CBTN, researchers will produce a significant amount of biomarker data to be used in pediatric cancer research around the world.