Electric field helmet shows promise for kids with deadly brain cancer
NCT ID NCT03033992
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tests the Optune device, a wearable cap that creates low-intensity electric fields to disrupt cancer cell growth, in children with aggressive brain tumors. One group of children with recurrent high-grade glioma or ependymoma will use the device alone to see if it's feasible and safe. Another group of children with newly diagnosed DIPG will use the device alongside standard radiation therapy to see if the combination is feasible and may improve survival. The trial involves 80 children across multiple centers.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Optune device (Tumor Treating Fields)
- What this could lead to
- If successful, this could provide a new, non-invasive treatment option for children with certain brain tumors, potentially improving survival when combined with radiation for DIPG.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early feasibility trial with a small number of participants, so results may not apply to all children. The device requires wearing it 18-22 hours daily, which may be challenging, and side effects or lack of benefit are possible.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
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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
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Baylor College of Medicine
Houston, Texas, 77030, United States
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Children's Healthcare of Atlanta
Atlanta, Georgia, 30322, United States
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Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, 90026, United States
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Children's Hospital of Colorado
Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States
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Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, 15224, United States
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Children's National Medical Center
Washington D.C., District of Columbia, 20010-2970, United States
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Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center
Cincinnati, Ohio, 45229, United States
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Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University Medical Center
Palo Alto, California, 94304, United States
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Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center
New York, New York, 10065, United States
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Phoenix Children's Hospital
Phoenix, Arizona, 85016, United States
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Saint Jude Children's Research Hospital
Memphis, Tennessee, 38105, United States
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