Why Prof. Dun's research into the deadliest form of childhood cancer is more than just professional

For Professor Matt Dun, his research into DIPG is more than just professional. In 2019, his daughter, Josie, sadly passed away from the aggressive form of childhood brain cancer, leading him to dedicate his career solely to developing treatments for the currently incurable disease. Today, with the help of your generous gifts, Prof. Dun and his team are making promising strides towards the first effective treatments for this devastating disease.

DIPG (diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma) is a cancer that many people haven’t heard of. Yet, it shockingly accounts for nearly a quarter of all childhood and young adolescent cancer deaths and currently has no effective or specific treatments. Heartbreakingly, that means that the average survival after diagnosis for children with DIPG is just 11 months.

The drugs that Prof. Dun discovered during Josie’s treatment showed such significant promise that he and his team have continued their research into their potential. Thanks to the generous gifts of people like you helping to fund their vital work, their ongoing work is yielding huge breakthroughs.

At their research base at the University of Newcastle, the team have early results from their lab models that show the treatment combination could increase survival rate by an incredible 96.6% compared to the old treatment of radiotherapy alone. That means that, in theory, the treatments could double the length of time kids with DIPG can survive after diagnosis. Prof Dun continues:

“For a disease that currently has no recognised treatment, that’s a line in the sand that says we can do this − we can give kids with DIPG hope of survival.”

“Of course, the ultimate goal is that one day, kids survive this horrible disease, not just live for a year longer. But research takes time and the next realistic goal we’re aiming for is to give kids more precious time with their families, rather than be robbed of their lives in under a year by DIPG.

“Like all research, we have to start somewhere. It’s inspiring to look at the progress that has been made for other diseases thanks to focused research and the committed support of people like you. In 1950, living memory for some people, leukaemia was fatal for every single child who got it. Today, it’s one of the most treatable childhood cancers with one of the highest survival rates.”

Prof. Dun and his team have identified their next steps to take their most recent findings out of the lab and give real kids with DIPG access to their pioneering treatment; a collaborative clinical trial with other researchers also tackling DIPG.

The trial would give kids with DIPG the new treatment combination, then after a period of time, test their tumour to measure the amount of drugs present. This means that Matt and his team can identify the children who will potentially respond to treatment and those who won’t. For those who do respond to it, their treatment can be monitored and potentially their dosages can be increased.

By making a gift today, you could help support Professor Dun's vital work trying to find effective treatments for one of the deadliest forms of childhood cancer.