Medulloblastoma

What is childhood medulloblastoma?
Childhood medulloblastoma is the most common type of brain tumor in children. A common type of posterior fossa tumor, it usually forms in the cerebellum, which is in the lower back part of the brain. The cerebellum controls movement, balance and posture.

Medulloblastomas are pediatric brain tumors that grow quickly and often spread to other locations in the brain and spine. It's important to treat medulloblastomas quickly and aggressively.

Who is at risk for childhood medulloblastoma?
The cause of childhood medulloblastoma is unknown. It's most often diagnosed in children between the ages of 5-10. It's more common in boys than girls.
   
What are the symptoms of childhood medulloblastoma?
Symptoms can include:

• Headaches, especially in the morning
• Vomiting
• Loss of balance
• Slow speech
• Change in personality or behavior
• Unexplained weight changes
• Unusual sleepiness

How is it childhood medulloblastoma 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 medulloblastoma?
For the best chance of a cure, treatment begins with a pediatric brain tumor resection, followed by a combination of radiation therapy and chemotherapy. The goal of pediatric brain tumor resection is to remove as much of the tumor as possible. Surgery also restores the natural pathways in the brain.

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 Children's Research Hospital, children with brain tumors have access to promising new treatments not yet available at other hospitals.

Will the medulloblastoma come back?
Childhood medulloblastoma sometimes recurs. A tumor may come back at the same place or a different place in the brain. It can also come back in other parts of the body. One of the goals of pediatric brain tumor resection is to reduce the recurrence of childhood medulloblastoma.

Why Le Bonheur Children's?
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.

Posted: Thu Feb 07 00:00:00 CST 2008 For more information please contact: Neuroscience Institute , 866.705.8279