Pediatric Brain Tumors in Lower-and Middle-Income Countries: Bridging Biology, Clinical Realities, and Global Disparities

Pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors arise from unique developmental programs in the growing brain, demanding specialized biological insights and distinct therapeutic approaches. While molecular classification and targeted immunotherapies have transformed outcomes in high-income countries (HICs), these advances remain unevenly accessible worldwide.

Across East Africa and Latin America, clinical realities are shaped by delayed diagnosis, limited imaging infrastructure, and constrained multidisciplinary care. This Research Topic focuses on the critical comparison between pediatric brain tumor research and clinical outcomes in lower- and middle-income countries (LMICs) versus HICs. We seek to highlight how distinct resource settings influence the translation of biological discoveries into clinical practice, and to identify sustainable frameworks for global equity in pediatric neuro-oncology.

We welcome original research, reviews, and clinical studies on, but not limited to:

- Comparative studies of pediatric CNS tumor survival and real-world outcomes between LMICs and HICs
- Health system barriers, diagnostic delays, and multidisciplinary capacity building in resource-limited settings
- Molecular and immunological characterization of pediatric brain tumors (such as high-grade gliomas, medulloblastoma, and DIPG/diffuse midline gliomas) in LMIC cohorts
- Implementation of risk-adapted therapies and precision medicine under infrastructure constraints
- Liquid biopsy and circulating biomarkers as accessible diagnostic or monitoring tools in LMICs
- Sustainable neurosurgical capacity building, workforce development, and clinical trial infrastructure

Please note: manuscripts consisting solely of bioinformatics, computational analysis, or predictions of public databases which are not accompanied by validation (independent clinical or patient cohort, or biological validation in vitro or in vivo, which are not based on public databases) are not suitable for publication in this journal.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Case Report
• Clinical Trial
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: Pediatric neuro-oncology, medulloblastoma, low- and middle-income countries, global health equity, pediatric glioma, brain tumors, healthcare barriers, clinical outcomes, capacity building, resource-limited settings

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.