Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation has designated Stanford Health Care in Stanford, California, a Center of Excellence in the treatment of cavernous malformations. The Stanford Health Care Neuroscience Health Center includes a comprehensive Vascular Malformations Clinic that treats intracranial and spinal vascular malformations. For more than 30 years, the clinic has treated both adult and pediatric patients.

Stanford Health Care’s Cavernous Malformation program is led by Gary Steinberg, MD, PhD, professor of neurosurgery, and Neil Schwartz, MD, PhD, clinical professor of neurology & neurological sciences, along with their comprehensive, multidisciplinary team of professionals.

Stanford Health Care is now an active site for the REC-994 clinical trial, the goal of which is to determine the safety and effectiveness of a research medication in the treatment of cavernous malformations for patients who either do not wish to have surgery or are not surgical candidates. The researchers are also participating in a data collection study to better understand risks associated with familial cavernous malformations.  

More information can be found here: Cavernous Angioma | Stanford Health Care.

A cavernous malformation, sometimes referred to as a cerebral cavernous malformation, angioma, cavernous angioma, “cav mal”, or cavernoma, is a raspberry-shaped collection of abnormal blood vessels with thin, leaky walls, most often found in the brain and spinal cord. Cavernous malformations can grow at any time, including during childhood, though they are most likely to become symptomatic when a patient is between the ages 20-40 years old.

The Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation is a patient/family advocacy organization dedicated to informing, supporting and educating those impacted by cavernous malformations that drives research for better treatments and a cure. To achieve recognition as a Center of Excellence, hospitals are required to meet or exceed the rigorous clinical care consensus guidelines that were developed and are maintained by the Alliance to Cure Cavernous Malformation Scientific Advisory Board.  

Read the full press release here.