Lucas, a 13-year-old from Belgium, has achieved a remarkable milestone by becoming the world’s first known child to be cured of diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG), a rare and aggressive form of brain cancer.
Following a seven-year journey through treatments, medical experts at the Gustave Roussy Cancer Center in Paris, led by Dr. Jacques Grill, have confirmed the complete eradication of the tumour in Lucas’s brain. DIPG, also known as diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, is notorious for its aggressive nature and limited treatment options.
Each year, approximately 300 children in the United States and 100 in France are diagnosed with this devastating disease, which primarily affects the pediatric population by forming in the brainstem. Despite advancements in medical science, the prognosis for DIPG patients remains grim, with most children surviving less than a year post-diagnosis, and only a small fraction surviving beyond two years. Lucas and his family participated in the BIOMEDE trial in France, where experimental drugs for DIPG were tested.
In an extraordinary turn of events, Lucas responded positively to the drug Everolimus, which he received as part of the trial, resulting in the complete disappearance of his tumour making his case unique globally. While other children in the trial experienced extended survival, Lucas’s case stands out as his tumour vanished entirely. The remarkable response observed in Lucas’s treatment may be attributed to the distinct biological characteristics of his tumour.
