A Drink Before Surgery to Help Doctors See Glioma Tissue
Original title: 5-Aminolevulinic Acid for Photodynamic Diagnosis of Malignant Glioma
How far along is this research?
This is a trial that is enrolling or has been updated. It is not a finding yet.
This is a large, late stage trial in people.
Status: Recruiting. It is looking for patients now. Talk to your care team about whether it fits you.
The trial team last updated this record on . Always check the trial page for the latest.
The short version
This trial tests a drink that makes brain tumor tissue glow during surgery.
Who this trial is for. This trial is for adults with a high-grade glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells. Those are the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4. The grade says how the tumor is expected to act. See the glossary, CNS WHO grade: A number from 1 to 4 for how a tumor is likely to behave. Since 2021 it is written in plain numbers, not Roman ones. Gene results can set it too. See the glossary 3 or 4. The tumor may be suspected or already confirmed. People drink 5-ALA: A medicine you are given before some brain operations. The tumor soaks it up. Under a special light the tumor then glows, so the surgeon can see where it stops and healthy brain starts. See the glossary before their surgery, and the study looks at whether tumor tissue glows.
Where it stands. The trial has not reported results. During surgery, doctors take small tissue samples from areas that glow brightly, areas that glow faintly, and areas that do not glow. Lab staff then check which samples hold tumor cells. The study also looks at scans after surgery and at safety. The answers are not in yet.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: Seeing tumor tissue more clearly could help a surgeon during an operation. This trial is trying to find out if the drink does that. Someone with a high-grade glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells. Those are the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4. The grade says how the tumor is expected to act. See the glossary who may need surgery could ask their care team about it.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the drink works. A trial is a test, not a proven treatment. Taking part is not a guarantee that it will help you. It is not a promise of a cure. We also cannot say who will be able to join. The trial team decides that.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, October 27, 2026 · Read the original
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