Medulloblastoma in children
Medulloblastoma is the most
common type of brain cancer in children under the age of 16. It usually occurs
between the ages of 3 and 8 years. They are more common in boys than girls and
less common in adults.
These tumors begin at the base
of the skull, in the cerebellum. This is the part of the brain that controls
balance and motor skills. Tumors tend to grow rapidly and can spread to other
parts of the brain, spinal cord, and bone marrow.
Cause
Doctors don't know why these
tumors appear, but people with certain conditions, including Li-Fraumeni
syndrome and Gorlin syndrome, are more prone to them. In rare cases, they can
be passed from parents to children.
Symptoms
Some of the early symptoms
include:
- Behavioral problems
- Changes in handwriting
- Clumsiness or other balance problems
- Headaches
- Nausea or vomiting in the morning
- Tilting the head to one side
- Vision problems
Once the medulloblastoma has
spread to the spinal cord, you also might notice:
- Back pain
- Bladder and bowel control problems
- Trouble walking
Diagnostics
If your child has symptoms,
the pediatrician will want to run some tests to find out what's going on. These
may include a physical exam and a neurological exam that tests reflexes,
senses, and muscle strength, among other things. The doctor may also recommend
the following:
- Magnetic Resonance Imaging: Uses powerful magnets and radio waves to create detailed
images of your baby's brain and spine.
- CT: The X-ray machine
takes detailed pictures of your baby's brain from different angles.
- Positron emission tomography (PET): radiation is used to create three-dimensional color images
so that the doctor can find cancer cells.
Treatment
Your child's treatment will
depend on how far the cancer has spread. Your doctor will likely recommend one
or more of the following:
- Surgery: This is usually the first step. The goal is to remove as many cancer cells as possible without affecting nearby areas of the brain. Your child's doctor will also take a small piece of the tumor (called a biopsy) to confirm it is cancer.
- Chemotherapy: The doctor will probably suggest this after surgery to destroy any remaining cancer cells. It is administered intravenously or in tablets.
- Radiation therapy: It
is also used to kill cancer cells. It uses high-energy X-rays or other types of
radiation. It can also slow the growth of tumors that the doctor was unable to
remove during surgery.
- Proton therapy: A
low dose of radiation is directed directly at the tumor. It is more accurate
than radiation therapy and can prevent damage to healthy tissues and organs.
About 70-80% of children who are treated for a moderate-risk tumor (which is easy for doctors to reach) are cured of cancer five years after diagnosis.