Testing a Glowing Medicine to Help Surgeons See Brain Tumors in Children
Original title: A Multicenter Study to Assess the Feasibility of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) in Pediatric Brain Tumor Patients
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 middle stage trial, so it is still a test and not regular care.
Status: Not yet recruiting. It has not opened yet. Ask your care team to watch for it if it looks like a fit.
The trial team last updated this record on . Always check the trial page for the latest.
The short version
This trial tests a medicine that makes brain tumors glow during surgery in children.
Who this trial is for. This trial is for children ages 2 up to 18 who have a new or returning brain tumor, thought to be a glioma: A tumor that starts in the glial cells, the support cells of the brain and spinal cord. Gliomas are given a grade from 1 to 4 describing how the tumor is expected to behave. See the glossary, and who are already set for surgery to remove it. It tests 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, a medicine the child drinks 6 to 12 hours before surgery to make the tumor glow.
Where it stands. This trial has not reported results. It is measuring whether 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 can be given to children and how well the tumor glows during surgery. Children are watched closely before, during, and after surgery for any reaction to the medicine. The answer is not in yet.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: 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 is already approved to help surgeons see brain tumors in adults. This trial looks at using it in children. Every child in the trial still gets the standard surgery to remove the tumor. One known effect is that the medicine can make skin and eyes sensitive to light, so children stay in low light for 48 hours after surgery. A family whose child fits this picture could ask their care team about it.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean the medicine is proven for children. A trial is a test, not care your own doctor can give you yet. Joining a trial is not a promise that it will help your child. It is not a cure, and it does not treat the tumor itself. Whether a child can join is decided by the trial team.
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov, October 7, 2026 · Read the original
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