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Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG) Program

Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, often just called DIPG, is a neurologically devastating, and in most children, lethal pediatric cancer that develops in the structural tissue of the brainstem, without truly effective therapy. There are more than 300 cases in the U.S. each year, but its relative rarity actually makes fighting DIPG more challenging. There is little federal research funding for the study of “rare pediatric” diseases, and many oncologists don’t have specialized experience with DIPG or its treatments.


Our Providers

Our pediatric specialists provide personalized care for your child’s physical, mental and emotional health needs.

Contact Information

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 202-476-2140.

Choosing Children’s National for Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma Care

Children’s National is one of just a few hospitals with extensive experience in treating DIPG patients, as well as an active research program innovating new, more promising therapies for DIPG.

As a part of our nationally recognized Brain Tumor Institute, our program provides your child access to:

  • Clinical trials and correlative studies, both exclusive to Children’s National and through a consortia of brain tumor programs at  leading children’s hospitals, united in the fight against DIPG.
  • Research on innovative therapies, including promising immunotherapies and the use of novel nucleic acid molecules identified and designed by our research team to attack DIPG mutations.  
  • Individualized treatment plans focused on your child’s specific type of tumor.
  • A multidisciplinary team of specialists and researchers who are dedicated to finding a cure for DIPG 

What is DIPG?

DIPG Diagnosis

DIPG Treatment at Children's National

DIPG Research at Children's National

Family Resources

With few on-the-ground resources for this rare disease, we also connect families to DIPG-related online groups and websites for more information and support. Below are some helpful websites.

  • DIPG Registry. Learn more about DIPG and advances in the fight against it on this site built to support innovative DIPG research.
  • Defeat DIPG. The Michael Mosier Foundation, started by a family who lost a child to DIPG, can help you get more information about the disease and treatment options.
  • Smashing Walnuts Foundation. The family of Gabriella Miller, a DIPG patient, started the Smashing Walnuts Foundation to raise money for scientific research and clinical trials. The charity has already awarded $100,000 in research funding to Children’s National Research Institute for our DIPG studies.

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PANDA Palliative Care

The PANDA team seeks to prevent, reduce and soothe symptoms for patients in the advanced stages of illness.

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Chaplaincy Services

Clinically trained on-call chaplains are available to patients, families and staff 24/7 for support, education, ritual and consultation.

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Patient Services and Hospital Amenities

Make your time at Children's National as comfortable and efficient as possible by learning about the available amenities and services.