This phase I, first-in-human trial tests the safety, side effects, and best dose of genetically modified cells called KIND T cells after lymphodepletion (a short dose of chemotherapy) in treating patients who are HLA-A*0201-positive and have H3.3K27M-mutated diffuse midline glioma. KIND T cells are a type of treatment in which a patient's T cells (a type of immune system cell) are changed in the laboratory into KIND T cells so they will recognize certain markers found in tumor cells. Drugs such as cyclophosphamide and fludarabine are chemotherapy drugs used to decrease the number of T cells in the body to make room for KIND T cells. Giving KIND T cells after cyclophosphamide and...
Pheochromocytomas and paragangliomas are neural crest-derived tumors of the nervous system that are often inherited and genetically heterogeneous. Genetic screening is recommended for patients and their relatives, and can guide clinical decisions. However, a mutation is not found in all cases. The aims of this proposal are to: 1) to map gene(s) involved in pheochromocytoma, and 2) identify genotype-phenotype correlations in patients with pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma of various genetic origins.
Brain somatic mutations in genes belonging to the mTOR signaling pathway are a frequent cause of cortical malformations, including focal cortical dysplasia or hemimegalencephaly. The present study aims to search for brain somatic mutations in paired blood-brain samples and perform functional validation in children with drug-resistant focal epilepsy
Primary and secondary brain tumors, the leading cause of death from cancer before the age of 35, represent a complex and heterogeneous group of pathologies with a generally poor prognosis. Knowledge of these tumors has made enormous strides thanks to access to biological samples, leading to a much more robust, reliable and precise histo-pronostic classification, but also, increasingly, to the identification of theranostic targets. Despite these advances, there is a real need to refine diagnostic and prognostic classification, identify the biological mechanisms involved in the formation and progression of these pathologies, develop new targeted strategies, and devise...
Primary malignant central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the second most common childhood malignancies. Amongst, medulloblastomas are the most common malignant brain tumor of childhood and occur primarily in the cerebellum. According to molecular characteristics, medulloblastomas were classified into four subtypes: WNT, SHH, Group3 and Group4 and different prognosis were noticed between subgroups. Several genetic predispositions related to clinical outcome were also discovered and might influence the treatment of medulloblastomas as novel pharmaceutical targets. This study aims to investigate genetic and cellular profiles of pediatric brain malignancies, mostly medulloblastomas,...
Neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are a heterogeneous group of lesions derived from cells with the ability to produce hormones that may arise from multiple different organs. Their clinical behavior is quite variable, encompassing both benign lesions and aggressive tumors that invade surrounding and/or distant structures. NENs may also cause serious morbidity due to hormone oversecretion. NENs are among the most frequently inherited human tumors, presenting either isolated or as part of syndromes in which a single patient or family develops multiple tumors. There are also non-inherited changes in the genetic information of the tumor cells that are potential targets for treatment....
This is a prospective observational multi-center pilot study of germline testing for participants receiving care at University of California participating locations with a new or existing diagnosis of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms (PanNEN). This protocol is an extension of existing Genetic Testing Station efforts at University of California, San Francisco (UCSF)
The GAP Study is a prospective cohort study designed to comprehensively investigate genetic variations that may contribute to cancer development among individuals diagnosed with appendix/appendiceal cancer who are ages 18+ years.
Cerebral and medullary arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) lead to arterial and venous networks to communicate pathologically, creating an arteriovenous shunt. The occurrence of intracranial haemorrhage is the most important prognostic factor of AVMs because it is associated with a significant morbidity and mortality. The genetic, molecular and cellular mechanisms that cause vascular malformations of the central nervous system are partially known and the influence of genetic damage on the prognosis of AVMs is poorly known.
The research is aimed at identifying new predisposition genes for endocrine tumours. Our focus initially is on pituitary adenomas including growth hormone-secreting tumors (somatotrophinomas) and prolactin secreting tumours (prolactinomas), but we wish to extend work to other pituitary tumour cases/families. The recruitment process will be as follows. 1. We will recruit patients from our own Endocrine outpatient clinics and inpatient wards. In addition we will ask colleagues in other Endocrinology Departments (or other specialties such as Clinical Genetics,Pathology, General Medicine ) to identify potentially suitable patients with endocrine & pituitary...