The goal of this interventional study is to Assess the safety and tolerability of atovaquone in combination with standard radiation therapy (RT) for the treatment of pediatric patients with newly diagnosed pediatric high-grade glioma/diffuse midline glioma/diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (pHGG/DMG/DIPG). The secondary aim is to assess the safety and tolerability of longer-term atovaquone treatment for pediatric patients with relapsed or progressed pHGG/DMG/DIPG and medulloblastoma (MB) or pHGG/DMG/DIPG after completion of RT and before progression.
Atovaquone, an FDA-approved antiparasitic drug, is being explored as a potential treatment for certain cancers, particularly leukemia and pediatric brain tumors like high-grade gliomas. Since Atovaquone's safety and dosage are already established, repurposing it for cancer treatment is cost-effective. Research shows that Atovaquone can inhibit a protein called STAT3, which is involved in cancer cell survival and immune response suppression. By doing this, it may enhance the effectiveness of radiation therapy, especially in tumors with low oxygen levels. In animal studies and early clinical trials, Atovaquone has shown promise in reducing tumor size and improving survival rates. For pediatric brain tumors, which often resist standard treatments, Atovaquone's ability to cross the blood-brain barrier could make it particularly valuable. Ongoing clinical trials are examining its effects in combination with radiation therapy for treating newly diagnosed high-grade gliomas and relapsed medulloblastomas. Overall, Atovaquone's repurposing could lead to new, effective treatment options for difficult-to-treat cancers in children.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
18
Atovaquone oral suspension (750 mg/5mL) will be administered with meals on an outpatient basis. Patients 13 years and older will receive atovaquone 750 mg PO BID, the standard pediatric dosing for Pneumocystis Jirovecii Pneumonia (PJP) prevention and treatment. For those aged 2-12 years, atovaquone will be dosed at 30mg/kg once daily. The maximum dose for children under 12 will be 1500 mg.
54-60 Gy in 1.8 Gy daily fractions of MRI-guided proton radiotherapy using intensity-modulated pencil-beam scanning technology to match the target will be used.
Arthur M Blank Hospital
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
RECRUITINGChildren's Healthcare of Atlanta: Scottish Rite
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
RECRUITINGDrug Limiting toxicities (DLT) in Stratum 1
Adverse events that meet definition of DLT and tolerability. The outcome will be evaluated by descriptive statistics. Rates of symptomatic and asymptomatic radiation necrosis will also be estimated for Stratum 1 patients.
Time frame: Baseline, end of study (10 weeks)
Drug Limiting toxicities (DLT) in Stratum 2
Adverse events that meet definition of DLT and tolerability. The outcome will be evaluated by descriptive statistics. Rates of symptomatic and asymptomatic radiation necrosis will also be estimated for Stratum 2 patients.
Time frame: Baseline, End of study (Month 7)
Progression Free Survival (PFS) in newly diagnosed pediatric high-grade glioma/diffuse midline glioma/diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (pHGG/DMG/DIPG) patients (Stratum 1)
PFS is defined as the time from initiation of drug treatment to the occurrence of confirmed disease progression. Subjects who are lost to follow-up or withdraw from the study will be treated as censored observations at the last follow-up time point when they are alive.
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Progression Free Survival (PFS) in Stratum 2 subjects
PFS is defined as the time from initiation of drug treatment to the occurrence of confirmed disease progression. Subjects that are lost to follow-up or withdraw from the study will be treated as censored observations at the last follow-up time point when they are alive.
Time frame: Baseline, Month 12
Overall survival (OS) in newly diagnosed pHGG/DMG/DIPG patients (Stratum 1)
OS is defined as time from enrollment to death due to any cause. The Kaplan-Meier method will be used to estimate the OS rates over time. Median survival time along with 95% confidence interval (CI) will be calculated
Time frame: Baseline, end of study (Week 10)
Overall survival in Stratum 2 subjects
OS is defined as time from enrollment to death due to any cause. The Kaplan-Meier method will be used to estimate the OS rates over time. Median survival time along with 95% confidence interval (CI) will be calculated
Time frame: Baseline, End of study (Month 7)
Objective Tumor Response Rate (ORR) for Stratum 2
Objective response (PR or CR), observed anytime during treatment and sustained for at least 8 weeks, in patients with relapsed or progressive pHGG, DMG/DIPG, or MB. Complete Response (CR): Complete disappearance on MR of all evaluable tumor and mass effect, on a stable or decreasing dose of corticosteroids (or receiving only adrenal replacement doses),accompanied by a stable or improving neurologic examination, and maintained for at least 4 weeks. If CSF was positive, it must be negative. Partial Response (PR): Greater than or equal to 50% reduction in tumor size by bi-dimensional measurement, as compared with the baseline measurements, on a stable or decreasing dose of corticosteroids, accompanied by a stable or improving neurologic examination, and maintained for at least 4 weeks.
Time frame: Baseline, End of study (Month 7)
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