Glow-in-the-Dark brain surgery: new hope for kids with tumors?
NCT ID NCT06907485
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests whether a drug called Gleolan (5-ALA) can make brain tumors glow during surgery in children aged 2 to 18. The drug is already used in adults to help surgeons remove more tumor tissue. Twenty children with suspected gliomas will drink the drug before surgery, and doctors will check how well the tumor lights up. The main goal is to see if this approach is feasible and safe in kids.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Gleolan (aminolevulinic acid hydrochloride, also called 5-ALA)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could help surgeons remove more of a child's brain tumor during surgery by making the tumor glow, potentially improving outcomes.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early feasibility study with only 20 children, so results may not apply to all. The drug can cause sun sensitivity, requiring children to stay in dim light for 2 days after surgery.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Get updates
Get notified about this study
Sign up to get updates when this study changes or when new studies for PEDIATRIC BRAIN TUMOR are added.
By submitting, you agree to our Terms of use
Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
MidWest Children's Brain Tumor Center, Advocate Children's Hospital Park Ridge
Chicago, Illinois, 60068, United States
-
UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15224, United States
More trials for these conditions
Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.
- Can a Tumor's genetic blueprint guide better treatment for kids with brain cancer?
- A new way to measure tumor response in kids: standardizing the neurologic exam
- Can VR games restore lost vision in young brain tumor survivors?
- Immune cells injected into brain tumors: a new hope for kids?
- New radioactive drug targets childhood cancers that Won't quit
- Zoom bike workouts could help young brain tumor survivors get fit and think sharper