Meet Our LBF Hero
Cameron Corno
Diagnosis Date:
March 27, 2020
Age at Diagnosis:
18 months old
Type of Brain Cancer:
Anaplastic Ependymoma
Summary of Treatment:
-9 surgeries & 6 resections
-1 EVD placement
-4 shunt surgeries
-1 broviac placement
-7 weeks of (proton beam) radiation
-4 rounds of intensive in-patient chemotherapy
-12 months of metronomic chemotherapy
-5 weeks of proton beam radiation, in conjunction with 5FU chemotherapy
-1 week of photon radiation
-3 cycles of experimental chemo (5FU + ATRA)
-2 rounds of CAR-T cell immunotherapy (includes 7 days of chemotherapy)
-3 weeks of photon radiation
CAMERON'S STORY
Cameron Corno took her final breath on June 6, 2025 after a five year battle with a very aggressive pediatric brain cancer called ependymoma. Ependymoma is a very rare and extremely aggressive brain cancer occurring in young children.
In her almost 7 short years on this earth Cameron endured the unimaginable - 9 brain surgeries, grueling chemotherapy regimens, multiple radiation treatments, long hospital stays, clinical trials and so much more. She fought hard and did her part, but science and the slow pace of research failed her.
The Cameron Corno Fund for Ependymoma Research will be dedicated to funding innovative and collaborative research and discovery for pediatric ependymoma. Gifts to Cameron’s fund will impact the future of cancer research and honor her courageous spirit. CamStrong Forever.
Cameron Corno Ependymoma Research Fund Impact
To carry forward her legacy, the Cameron Corno fund for Ependymoma Research was established to fuel innovative and collaborative studies aimed at transforming care for children with Ependymoma.
PNOC041-TARGET VALIDATION AND EFFICACY STUDY OF METFORMIN IN PEDIATRIC PFA EPENDYMOMA
The PNOC041 trial will test metformin, a safe and inexpensive diabetes drug as a potential new therapy for PFA ependymoma, aiming to translate promising lab findings into a clinical treatment for children.
NEONATAL EPENDYMOMA INJECTION PILOT@ CHILDREN'S NATIONAL HOSPITAL
The approach involves using mice with fully immune systems to develop models. By injecting tumor cells into neonatal mice, researchers hypothesize that the cells will grow without rejection, allowing for a more accurate study of tumor-immune system interactions.
PNOC041-TARGET VALIDATION AND EFFICACY STUDY OF METFORMIN IN PEDIATRIC PFA EPENDYMOMOA
Dr. Dalia Haydar and her team and Children's National Hospital are developing a novel therapy that combines CAR T-cell immunotherapy with low-frequency focused ultrasound (LF-FUS) to overcome the tumor's immune resistance and the blood-brain barrier. Their preclinical work aims to create safe, more effective treatments for children with ependymoma, with potential benefits for other pediatric brain cancers as well.