My main area of interest is in the management of central nervous system tumours and the neurological complications of cancer. I am an active participant in the children's oncology group (COG). We have multiple clinical trials open as part of COG and also independent multi-institutional trials. In addition we are participating in other multi-institutional clinical studies, both retrospective and prospective. In pediatric oncology, clinical trials are deemed the best standard of care. Multi-institutional studies are essential, as these disorders are relatively uncommon. The basis of our research is to define the optimum treatment for any given brain tumour in terms of best chance of cure and least risk of short and long-term adverse effects. In addition our aim is to delineate further neurotoxicity related to other cancers and their therapy and develop strategies to minimise these from occurring.

Intracystic Bleomycin Therapy For Craniopharyngioma In Children: Canadian Experience
In spite of this being a benign tumour, management is often problematic. Surgical removal and radiation therapy is associated with significant sequelae in the pediatric population with craniopharyngioma, including visual loss, intellectual dysfunction, physical handicap, seizures and serious hormonal disorders. The aim of this study is to review the Canadian experience with a less invasive technique, intracystic bleomycin therapy.

Headstart III
Earlier generations of multi-center "Baby" protocols have demonstrated the feasibility of chemotherapy-only strategies for young children with newly diagnosed malignant brain tumors. The disease-free survivals attained with these regimens, however, were disappointing.  The "Head Start I and II" studies demonstrated generally superior outcome for patients with medulloblastoma, other PNET and ependymoma than other such studies. Furthermore, the total duration of treatment on the "Head Start" regimens is six months, much reduced from the time interval of other such protocols.

The primary aim of Headstart III is to determine the two year event-free survival and overall survival  from time of study enrollment, for children with non-disseminated medulloblastoma, disseminated medulloblastoma and all non-cerebellar primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET), disseminated or non-disseminated treated with induction chemotherapy followed by consolidation with myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell rescue. 

Pilot Study of Combination Extended Low Dose Temodal and Radiation Therapy in Paediatric Brainstem Glioma
This is a sponsored, non-randomized Canadian multi-centre pilot study. The objective of the study is to evaluate the 12-month survival rate in pediatric patients with newly diagnosed brain stem glioma, when treated with the combination of temozolomide and radiation therapy.

Longitudinal study evaluating the recurrence rate in childhood ependymoma
The purpose of this study is to report on the incidence of early and late recurrences in childhood ependymoma, their management and the success thereof, and to evaluate long-term functional status. 

Chronic Neuropathy Following Vincristine Therapy
The purpose of this project is to study the frequency of chronic neuropathy in paediatric patients receiving vincristine and to find out if the presence of any co-morbid features might contribute to this disorder.

Phase II Study of Vinblastine Sulphate Injection in Children with Recurrent or Refractory Low Grade Glioma
This is a multi-centre international phase II study to determine the response rate of weekly Vinblastine Sulphate Injection (Vinblastine) in recurrent or refractory low-grade gliomas in childhood. 

Acute severe encephalopathy in diabetic ketoacidosis:  A 10-year retrospective review
The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence and management of cerebral edema in children with diabetic ketoacidosis, and to identify risk factors associated with this condition, the pattern of injury and outcomes for these children.

Baruchel S, Sharp JR, Bartels U, Hukin J, Odame I, Portwine C, Strother D, Fryer C, Halton J, Egorin MJ, Reis RM, Martinho O, Stempak D, Hawkins C, Gammon J, Bouffet E. A Canadian paediatric brain tumour consortium (CPBTC) phase II molecularly targeted study of imatinib in recurrent and refractory paediatric central nervous system tumours. ur J Cancer. 2009 Jun 6. [Epub ahead of print]
 
Almubarak S, Gan YC, Steinbok P, Hendson G, Poskitt K, Nadel H, Goddard K, Hukin J. Occurrence of basal ganglia germ cell tumors without a mass. Arch Neurol. 2009 Jun;66(6):789-92.
 
Lafay-Cousin L, Sung L, Carret AS, Hukin J, Wilson B, Johnston DL, Zelcer S, Silva M, Odame I, Mpofu C, Strother D, Bouffet E. Carboplatin hypersensitivity reaction in pediatric patients with low-grade glioma: a Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium experience. Cancer. 2008 Feb 15;112(4):892-9.
 
Fangusaro J, Finlay J, Sposto R, Ji L, Saly M, Zacharoulis S, Asgharzadeh S, Abromowitch M, Olshefski R, Halpern S, Dubowy R, Comito M, Diez B, Kellie S, Hukin J, Rosenblum M, Dunkel I, Miller DC, Allen J, Gardner S. Intensive chemotherapy followed by consolidative myeloablative chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic cell rescue (AuHCR) in young children with newly diagnosed supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNETs): report of the Head Start I and II experience. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2008 Feb;50(2):312-8.
 
Aquino-Parsons C, Hukin J, Green A. Concurrent carbogen and radiation therapy in children with high-risk brainstem gliomas. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2008 Feb;50(2):397-9.
 
Zacharoulis S, Levy A, Chi SN, Gardner S, Rosenblum M, Miller DC, Dunkel I, Diez B, Sposto R, Ji L, Asgharzadeh S, Hukin J, Belasco J, Dubowy R, Kellie S, Termuhlen A, Finlay J. Outcome for young children newly diagnosed with ependymoma, treated with intensive induction chemotherapy followed by myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous stem cell rescue. Pediatr Blood Cancer. 2007 Jul;49(1):34-40.
 
Hukin J, Steinbok P, Lafay-Cousin L, Hendson G, Strother D, Mercier C, Samson Y, Howes W, Bouffet E. Intracystic bleomycin therapy for craniopharyngioma in children: the Canadian experience. Cancer. 2007 May 15;109(10):2124-31.
 
Basheer SN, Waters PJ, Lam CW, Acquaviva-Bourdain C, Hendson G, Poskitt K, Hukin J. Isolated sulfite oxidase deficiency in the newborn: lactic acidaemia and leukoencephalopathy. Neuropediatrics. 2007 Feb;38(1):38-41.
 
Carret AS, Tabori U, Crooks B, Hukin J, Odame I, Johnston DL, Keene DL, Freeman C, Bouffet E; Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumour Consortium. Outcome of secondary high-grade glioma in children previously treated for a malignant condition: a study of the Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumour Consortium. Radiother Oncol. 2006 Oct;81(1):33-8. Epub 2006 Sep 14.
 
Tabori U, Sung L, Hukin J, Laperriere N, Crooks B, Carret AS, Silva M, Odame I, Mpofu C, Strother D, Wilson B, Samson Y, Bouffet E; Canadian Pediatric Brain Tumor Consortium. Distinctive clinical course and pattern of relapse in adolescents with medulloblastoma. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys. 2006 Feb 1;64(2):402-7. Epub 2005 Sep 28.

Dr. Bond, Dr. Davis, Dr. Pritchard, Dr. Strahlendorf, Dr. Goddard, Dr. Cochrane, Dr. Steinbok, Dr. Hendson, Dr. Poskitt, Dr. Sargent, Dr. Dix, Dr. Rogers, Dr. Schultz

Neurology/oncology fellows
Dr. Visser
Dr. Waisburg
Dr. Basheer

Clinical research associates
Nita Takeuchi
Joanne Shinde

Dr. Vesna Popovska - Research manager, NeuroSciences Program, BC Children's Hospital
Colleen Fitzgerald - Oncology clinical research manager, BC Children's Hospital