Nicholas Shawn Whipple, MD, MPH
Articles by Nicholas Shawn Whipple, MD, MPH

Experts discuss pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) as the most common childhood central nervous system (CNS) tumor, emphasizing a personalized, collaborative approach that integrates evolving molecular insights and patient factors to tailor treatments, improve quality of life, and offer hope through ongoing research and multidisciplinary care.

Experts discuss managing progressive pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), emphasizing early communication with families about the likelihood of multiple therapies, the importance of personalized treatment decisions considering patient and family factors, and transparent education on potential adverse effects to support informed, confident care choices.

Experts discuss the use of tovorafenib, a selective pan-RAF inhibitor, in treating relapsed pediatric low-grade glioma with a KIAA1549-BRAF fusion, highlighting its efficacy and safety while underscoring the importance of precise molecular profiling to guide therapy and avoid contraindicated treatments.

Experts discuss recent advances in pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) treatment, highlighting tovorafenib’s FDA approval and strong clinical trial results—including high response rates and vision stabilization—alongside dabrafenib and trametinib, which together offer more effective, targeted therapies that improve disease control and quality of life for patients.

Experts discuss emerging treatments for pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs) with BRAF V600E mutations, highlighting promising options like pan-RAF inhibitor tovorafenib (currently under frontline clinical trial) and the dabrafenib-trametinib combination, emphasizing tailored choices based on efficacy, adverse effects, and patient preferences to improve outcomes and reduce treatment burden.

Experts discuss the frontline treatment of a pediatric low-grade glioma case, highlighting the successful use of targeted therapy with dabrafenib and trametinib in a BRAF V600E-mutated ganglioglioma, underscoring the critical role of genetic profiling in guiding individualized care.

Experts discuss the critical role of a multidisciplinary team in pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG) care, emphasizing collaborative treatment planning that integrates diverse specialist insights, tumor biology, and patient-family preferences to tailor personalized, balanced, and adaptive management strategies.

Experts discuss the evolution of systemic therapy for pediatric low-grade glioma (pLGG), highlighting the shift from traditional chemotherapy to targeted oral agents that exploit MAPK pathway alterations, offering effective, better-tolerated, and more convenient treatment options tailored to each child’s unique clinical and molecular profile.

Experts discuss the growing role of advanced imaging and surgical planning tools in managing pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), highlighting how technologies like functional MRI (fMRI) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) help preserve neurologic function while guiding strategic, conservative interventions that prioritize long-term quality of life and developmental outcomes.

Experts discuss the foundational role of molecular testing in diagnosing pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), emphasizing how next-generation sequencing (NGS) and methylation profiling enhance tumor classification, guide targeted therapy, and support precision medicine—even amid variability in institutional testing access.

Experts discuss the critical role of molecular profiling in pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), highlighting how MAPK pathway alterations—particularly BRAF mutations—inform prognosis and guide targeted therapies, enabling more personalized and effective treatment strategies.

Experts discuss the nuanced surgical and biopsy decision-making in pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), emphasizing personalized risk-benefit assessments that prioritize long-term neurologic function and quality of life alongside effective tumor control.

Experts discuss the diagnosis and management of pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGGs), highlighting their distinct biology, the role of conservative surgery and molecular profiling, and the importance of multidisciplinary, biomarker-driven care to personalize treatment and improve outcomes.