Childhood Cerebral Astrocytoma
What is childhood cerebral astrocytoma?
Astrocytomas are tumors that develop in brain cells called astrocytes. Cerebral astrocytomas form in the area of the brain called the cerebrum. The cerebrum is the largest portion of the brain. The cerebrum determines intelligence, personality, planning and organization, speech, emotions and voluntary movement.
There are three types of childhood cerebral astrocytomas:
- Low-grade cerebral astrocytoma
These benign pediatric brain tumors usually do not grow quickly and do not spread. This is the most common type of childhood cerebral astrocytoma.
- High-grade cerebral astrocytoma
These malignant pediatric brain tumors grow quickly and often spread to other parts of the brain.
- Recurrent cerebral astrocytoma
Recurrent tumors are those that come back after they have been removed. Recurrent cerebral astrocytomas may come back in the brain or in another part of the body.
What are the symptoms of childhood cerebral astrocytoma?
Symptoms can include:
- Headaches, especially in the morning
- Vomiting
- Weakness on one side of the body
- Seizures
- Increased sleepiness
- Change in mood or personality
How is childhood cerebral astrocytoma diagnosed?
The multi-disciplinary pediatric brain tumor team at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center will start the assessment with a discussion of your child's health history and a thorough physical examination. A detailed neurological evaluation will include tests of reflexes, muscles, coordination and alertness. Diagnostic tests may include CT or MRI scans.
Your child's pediatric neurosurgeon may recommend a biopsy to verify the presence of a tumor, find out what type of tumor it is and determine whether it is cancerous. During a biopsy, a small piece of tumor is removed and examined under a microscope. A biopsy is sometimes performed during surgery. Other times a small hole is made in the skull and a needle is used to remove a sample of the tumor.
What is the treatment for childhood cerebral astrocytoma?
Treatment for cerebral astrocytoma depends on the type and stage of the disease, the location of the tumor and your child's age and health.
For the best chance of a cure, treatment begins with a pediatric brain tumor resection. The goal of pediatric brain tumor resection is to remove as much of the tumor as possible.
If your child has a low-grade cerebral astrocytoma and all of the tumor can be removed during surgery, your child might not need additional treatment.
For high-grade astrocytomas, or if the tumor cannot by completely removed during surgery, your child's pediatric neurologist may recommend radiation therapy and chemotherapy.
Radiation therapy uses X-ray energy or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing. At Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, children benefit from intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). IMRT delivers high-doses of radiation to tumor cells without damaging surrounding healthy tissue.
Chemotherapy is a medication that kills cancer cells or keeps them from dividing.
Through our partnership with St. Jude Chiidren's Research Hospital, children with brain tumors have access to promising new treatments not yet available at other hospitals.
Why Le Bonheur?
Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center, in conjunction with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, is home to the nation's largest Pediatric Surgical Brain Tumor Program. Together, we are nationally known for our aggressive surgical approaches and groundbreaking treatments of brain tumors in children and adolescents.
Children with brain tumors receive care from a multidisciplinary group of physicians, scientists, nurses and support staff representing the many types of treatments and support crucial to the comprehensive care of children with brain tumors.
This team includes pediatric neurosurgeons at Le Bonheur Children's Medical Center and neuro-oncologists and pediatric radiation oncologists at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Through this multi-hospital collaboration, each child's care is supported by physicians representing radiology, neuropsychology, neuropathology and neuroendocrinology, plus specially trained nurses, rehabilitation specialists, pharmacists, nutritionists and audiologists.
The Pediatric Brain Tumor Program is a key component of Le Bonheur's Neuroscience Institute, a center of excellence dedicated to the evaluation and treatment of neurological disorders. Children from across the country visit Le Bonheur each year to be treated at the Institute.
For more information please contact:
Neuroscience Institute
, 866.705.8279
