Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (
DIPG) is one of the least understood and most deadly childhood
cancers. Historically, there has been a paucity of
DIPG specimens for molecular analysis. However, due to the generous participation of
DIPG families in programs for postmortem specimen donation, there has been a recent surge in molecular analysis of newly available
tumor specimens. Collaborative efforts to share data and
tumor specimens have resulted in rapid discoveries in other pediatric
brain tumors, such as
medulloblastoma, and therefore have the potential to shed light on the biology of
DIPG. Given the generous gift of postmortem tissue donation from
DIPG patients, there is a need for standardized postmortem specimen accrual to facilitate rapid and effective multi-institutional molecular studies.We developed and implemented an autopsy protocol for rapid procurement, documenting and storing these specimens. Sixteen autopsies were performed throughout the United States and Canada and processed using a standard protocol and inventory method, including specimen imaging, fixation, snap freezing, orthotopic injection, or preservation. This allowed for comparative clinical and
biological studies of rare postmortem
DIPG tissue specimens, generation of in vivo and in vitro models of
DIPG, and detailed records to facilitate collaborative analysis.