For this reason it is strongly recommended that patients diagnosed with DIPG seek enrollment in the International DIPG/DMG Registry or the SIOPe DIPG Registry so that the MRI may be centrally reviewed by radiologists with strong experience with these types of tumors.ĭMG, on the other hand, is a clarified diagnosis of a DIPG through a biopsy and more recently through blood biopsy methods. Ultimately some DIPG tumors reviewed by MRI may be termed as “atypical” possibly leading to other diagnosis methodologies such as a biopsy to determine if other treatment options exist. They include those patients diagnosed before the age of 3 or after the age of 10, those patients with few symptoms prior to diagnosis and those patients with limited to no growth beyond the pons.

The lowest grade consistent with a DIPG is a grade 2 tumor, but many DIPG tumors will be grade 3 or 4 (the most-aggressive, fastest-growing grades).Ĭertain factors may lead to improved survival prognosis with those diagnosed with DIPG. They make up the white matter of the brain that surrounds and supports the neurons (neurons are cells that carry messages in the brain). Glial cells are found throughout the brain. Glioma is a general term for tumors originating from glial cells. The pons is responsible for a number of important bodily functions, like breathing, sleeping, bladder control, and balance. Pontine indicates that the tumor is found in a part of the brainstem called the pons. Diffuse means that the tumor is not well-contained – it grows out into other tissue so that cancer cells mix with healthy cells. Intrinsic simply means 'in', referring to the point or origin. Diagnoses of DIPG are typically made through an MRI or radiological exam.

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. Still, much of the science, the research, foundational funding and data for both types of brain tumors are grouped under DIPG, mainly because historically much of the work researching DIPG since around 2012 led to the reclassification and current definitions of DMG.ĭIPG is a type of brain tumor found in an area of the brainstem known as the pons. Caring for Your Children and YourselvesĭIPG (Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma) and DMG (Diffuse Midline Glioma) are often categorized together but can have different treatments that can lead to slightly different prognosis paths.

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