DIPG

What is DIPG

DIPG is an acronym for ‘Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma’ The name describes the nature of the tumour.

Diffuse: It is not a solid mass, instead it spreads by mixing amongst healthy tissue.
Intrinsic: It arises within (intrinsic to) a particular region.
Pons: The region in the brainstem where the tumour is located.
Glioma: This refers to the type of cell (a glial cell) that changes into a tumour cell.

DIPG is characterised within a class of tumours known as Diffuse Midline Glioma’s (DMG) that share similar characteristics. DMGs occur within the central region of the brain (the brain stem and thalamus) and the spinal cord. DIPG/DMG are classified as Grade 4 tumours (most aggressive) and median survival is less than 1 year.

Signs & Symptoms

Signs and symptoms are numerous and vary depending on the nerves that are impacted by the growing tumour. Common symptoms include:

Double vision cause by turning in of one or both eyes
Slurred speech
Trouble with walking and coordination
Headaches, usually accompanied by nausea and vomiting
Weakness of one or both sides of the body
Seizures
Difficulty swallowing
Hydrocephaly, the dangerous increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure in the brain

A powerful steroid called Dexamethasone is usually given to prevent hydrocephaly. This drug has side-effects, the most obvious is a dramatic increase in appetite causing large weight gain. The mainstay of treatment is radiotherapy, which usually provides transient improvement.