Experimental murine models of brainstem gliomas.

As an intractable central nervous system (CNS) tumor, brainstem glioma (BG) is one of the leading causes of pediatric death by brain tumors. Owing to the risk of surgical resection and the little improvement in survival time after radiotherapy and chemotherapy, there is an urgent need to find reliable model systems to better understand the regional pathogenesis of the brainstem and improve treatment strategies. In this review, we outline the evolution of BG murine models, and discuss both their advantages and limitations in drug discovery.