Study of Stored Tumor Samples in Young Patients With Brain Tumors

The overall objective of this non-therapeutic protocol is to identify molecular abnormalities
within prospectively treated pediatric CNS develop xenograft and in vitro models derived from
Atypical Teratoid Rhabdoid Tumors (ATRT), Choroid Plexus Carcinomas (CPC), Ependymoma and
high-grade gliomas. The investigators will characterize the genome-wide mutation, expression
and epigenetic signatures of these models and compare them with the primary tumors from which
they were derived, thus creating well-characterized and invaluable resource for research on
these rare and deadly pediatric brain tumors. This will also provide important insights into
intratumoral heterogeneity, and molecular abnormalities that may influence the selective
pressures driving evolution, and tumor growth as xenografts or in vitro. and define the
relationship between these abnormalities and tumor histologic and clinical characteristics.
This objective will be achieved by applying state-of-the-art DNA, RNA and protein epigenome
analysis tools to the study of fresh frozen, fixed and cultured tumor cells and xenografts.
The establishment of cell cultures from each tumor sample will also allow for in vitro and in
vivo analysis of tumor cell growth, signaling and therapeutic response.

Inclusion Criteria

- ATRT, CPC, medulloblastoma/PNET, ependymoma or glioma of the CNS as documented by the
local neuropathologist. Tumor may be primary, progressive or recurrent CNS tumor
including brain and/or spine. For fresh tissue, in some cases we must process the
tissue before a final diagnosis is available. If a xenograft is established from a
brain tumor that is later diagnosed to be a different histological subtype, we will
store frozen viable cells for potential future use. Although rare, patients with ATRT
may present with a primary renal and CNS tumor. In these instances samples will be
collected from both the kidney and CNS tumor for analysis if available.

- Tumor may be collected at surgery prior to histologic confirmation

- Age not more than 21 years at the time of initial diagnosis.

- Enrollment in the current version of the institution's banking protocol

- Biological parent(s) of participant (child) whose tumor is studied on this protocol.
These parents will be assigned to cohort P. The exclusion criteria below do not apply
to this cohort.

Exclusion Criteria

- Diagnosis of tumor outside the central nervous system.

- Age greater than 21 years at the time of diagnosis