DeCure's autonomous Cancer AI scientist is researching a drug-repurposing hypothesis for childhood brain meningioma — screening already-approved drugs against its 3-gene Open Targets disease module to publish open-access research. Research is fast; the path to publication is funded in milestone stages.
Disease moduleChildhood brain meningioma maps to a 3-gene Open Targets module — the target space DeCure's AI scientist screens approved drugs against.
DeCure.ai methodSignature reversal (LINCS) plus network proximity (STRING) rank already-approved drugs likely to perturb this module — the same engine that produces DeCure.ai's repurposing hypotheses.
Repurposing thesisScreening approved medicines against this disease module, then publishing the evidence for the strongest candidate. Known pharmacology and human exposure data make the first question sharper — they do not establish safety or efficacy in a new indication.
Research record
01
ResearchComing soon
Candidate research + dossier — target rationale, drug-repurposing thesis and evidence pack.proof: Published dossier + on-chain hash
02
ValidationComing soon
In-vitro biological validation at a contract research org (CRO).proof: CRO contract + in-vitro report
03
Peer review & paperComing soon
Peer-reviewed paper published open-access (preprint + journal).proof: DOI + open-access link + on-chain hash
Current lead
No approved-drug candidate for childhood brain meningioma is corroborated in the literature DeepSearch retrieved. Some conditions are managed with non-pharmacological care — a device, surgery or physical therapy — rather than a medicine; that may be the case here, or the literature we found may simply be too sparse yet to support a drug-repurposing angle.
Molecular view
enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2) — EZH2 is one of the genes genetically linked to this disease in Open Targets — shown as context, not as a drug target we're pursuing: no approved-drug candidate for this disease is yet corroborated in the literature we found.
Loading structure…
helix sheet sahdrag to rotate · scroll to zoom
RCSB Protein Data Bank · entry 5HYN · 2.95 Å · ligand S-ADENOSYL-L-HOMOCYSTEINE (SAH). Experimental structure, not a prediction.
What the evidence adds up to
Meningiomas in children are rare: in one five-year surgical series of 178 paediatric brain tumour patients, only 5 cases (2.8%) were meningiomas. The 2020 report notes that childhood meningiomas have distinct clinical and biological features from adult tumours, but provides no treatment or outcome data for those five children.
A 2017 tissue microarray study of 153 meningioma cases (adults, not children) examined β-catenin and galectin-3 protein expression. High β-catenin expression was associated with low tumour grade, low recurrence rate, and low incidence of brain invasion. High galectin-3 expression was associated with brain invasion, recurrence, and high tumour grade. Logistic regression showed both proteins were significant predictors of recurrence (P<0.001). The authors suggest these molecules could be therapeutic targets, but no drug targeting them is tested in any of the abstracts.
One case report from 2012 describes a repeatedly recurring transitional meningioma in an adult, previously treated with multiple surgeries and two sessions of radiosurgery. At the last relapse, temozolomide was given alone and then combined with external beam radiotherapy. At 38 months follow-up the disease was stable. The authors call this a clinical benefit with limited morbidity, but this is a single case, not a trial.
No abstract reports a controlled trial, a paediatric-specific treatment protocol, or a drug repurposing study for childhood meningioma. What is missing: prospective paediatric trials, any randomised data for temozolomide in children, validated biomarkers to stratify paediatric patients, and funding for a dedicated childhood meningioma study.
Evidence
Retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works and resolved on OpenAlex — ranked by citations, including the results that did not work.
Cancer Biology and Medicine · 2017 · 12 citations · open access
Expression levels of β-catenin and galectin-3 in meningioma and their effect on brain invasion and recurrence: a tissue microarray study
AbstractOBJECTIVE: Meningiomas are neoplasms that arise from the meninges of the central nervous system (CNS). They constitute about 25.6% of CNS tumors diagnosed in Egypt. Some morphological variants of meningiomas display aggressive behavior, leading to brain-invasive growth pattern. Although meningiomas are usually treated by complete surgical excision, the risk of postoperative recurrence remains. Hence, additional biomarkers for predicting aggressive behavior must be discovered. This study aims to explore the clinical and biological relevance of the protein expression levels of β-catenin and galectine-3 in meningioma and to understand the pathobiology of this neoplasm. METHODS: This retrospective study was carried out on 153 cases of meningioma by using tissue microarrays and immunohistochemistry for β-catenin and galectine-3. RESULTS: High β-catenin expression was significantly associated with transitional and meningiotheliomatous meningiomas, low tumor grade, low recurrence rate, and low incidence of brain invasion. Meanwhile, high galectin-3 expression was associated with brain invasion, recurrence, high tumor grade, and tumor type. Logistic regression analysis indicated that among all variables included in the model, β-catenin and galactin-3 expression levels were significant predictors of tumor recurrence (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Galectin-3 and β-catenin are involved in meningioma recurrencebut not in brain invasion. These molecules could be important potential therapeutic targets and predictors for meningiomas.
Temozolomide Combined with Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Recurrent Cranial Meningioma Previously Treated with Multiple Surgical Resections and Two Sessions of Radiosurgery: A Case Report and Literature Review
AbstractMeningioma is a common primary brain tumor in adults. The treatment approach depends on its grade, size and symptoms. The case reported here was a repeatedly recurring transitional meningioma, previously treated with several surgical procedures and two sessions of cranial radiosurgery. At the time of last relapse, temozolomide was administered alone and combined with external beam radiation therapy. At the last follow-up after 38 months, the disease was stable. In conclusion, in this case of plurirecurrent meningioma, treatment with temozolomide alone and in combination with radiotherapy was feasible and associated with limited morbidity, providing clinical benefit and long local disease control. We discuss the case comparing our approach with other experiences reported in the literature.
Temozolomide combined with radiotherapy in the treatment of recurrent cranial meningioma previously treated with multiple surgical resections and two sessions of radiosurgery: a case report and literature review.
AbstractMeningioma is a common primary brain tumor in adults. The treatment approach depends on its grade, size and symptoms. The case reported here was a repeatedly recurring transitional meningioma, previously treated with several surgical procedures and two sessions of cranial radiosurgery. At the time of last relapse, temozolomide was administered alone and combined with external beam radiation therapy. At the last follow-up after 38 months, the disease was stable. In conclusion, in this case of plurirecurrent meningioma, treatment with temozolomide alone and in combination with radiotherapy was feasible and associated with limited morbidity, providing clinical benefit and long local disease control. We discuss the case comparing our approach with other experiences reported in the literature.
Burdenko s Journal of Neurosurgery · 2020 · 2 citations
Intracranial meningiomas in children
AbstractMeningiomas are rare in children and distinguished from the tumors in adults by clinical and biological aspects. Moreover, some histological forms and localizations are even casuistic in adults. There were 178 patients younger 18 years old with brain tumors. All patients underwent surgery at the pediatric department for 5-year period. Meningiomas were diagnosed in 5 cases that accounted for 2.8% of the total number of brain tumors in children. The authors reported children with intracranial meningiomas and discussed certain features of the course of disease in these patients.
World Scientific Research Journal · 2025 · 0 citations · open access
INTRACRANIAL MENINGIOMAS: EPIDEMIOLOGY, PATHOGENESIS, CLINICAL FEATURES, AND DIAGNOSTIC APPROACHES
AbstractAbstract: Meningiomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors, accounting for approximately one-third of all brain neoplasms. Although a majority are histologically benign, their location, growth pattern, and biological variability often lead to significant neurological morbidity. This review summarizes modern concepts of meningioma epidemiology, molecular mechanisms of tumor development, clinical presentation, and contemporary diagnostic strategies, highlighting the relevance of integrated radiological and molecular assessment for optimal patient management.
Disease module: DeepOracle (Open Targets). Structures: RDKit from PubChem SMILES. Literature: retrieved by DeepSearch across 234,678,978 indexed works (targeted per-candidate search), resolved on OpenAlex.
DeCure is a research and publication project, not medical advice and not a treatment. "DeCure for X" describes a research goal, not a claim that a cure exists. Backing a cure is a contribution to fund the research — it is not an investment, and confers no yield, royalty, equity or IP ownership. Papers are published open-access by the DeCure.ai DAO.
