Overview

What is a medulloblastoma?

Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant central nervous system tumor of childhood. It accounts for 15-20 percent of pediatric brain tumors. These tumors are located in the cerebellum, the part of the brain that controls balance and other complex motor functions. Within the cerebellum, medulloblastomas are most often seen in the region of the fourth ventricle/vermis, or the central part of the cerebellum, and less frequently they arise within the cerebellar hemispheres.

What causes a medulloblastoma?

There are no identified predisposing factors that lead to the development of medulloblastomas. Current research is focusing on understanding some of the possible genetic pathways that may be involved in the development of medulloblastomas, because there are rare genetic conditions in which medulloblastomas may arise with a slightly increased frequency

What are the symptoms of a medulloblastoma?

• The following are the most common symptoms of a medulloblastoma, however each child may experience symptoms differently. Medulloblastomas have a peak incidence between the ages of 3 and 8 but can be seen anywhere from the newborn/infant up into adulthood. Common symptoms may include: increased pressure within the brain. These symptoms include:
• headache (generally upon awakening in the morning)
• vomiting
• fatigue
• lethargy

The duration of these symptoms is relatively short, up to several weeks, and often children are diagnosed with the "flu" or a viral illness

• imbalance and lack of coordination
• a neck tilt or double vision
• rarely, medulloblastomas spread within the nervous system and/or within the spinal canal, causing loss of strength in the lower extremities or significant back pain

Treatment

In general, cancer in children is uncommon, so it can be hard for doctors to plan treatments unless they know what has been most effective in other children. That’s why more than 60% of children with cancer are treated as part of a clinical trial. Clinical trials are research studies that compare the standard treatments (the best treatments available) with newer treatments that may be more effective. Investigating new treatments involves careful monitoring using scientific methods and all participants are followed closely to track progress.

Surgery
Surgery is the first treatment most commonly used for medulloblastoma. A neurosurgeon is a doctor who specializes in treating a tumor in the brain or spine with surgery. The goal of medulloblastoma treatment is the complete surgical removal of the tumor. In addition to removing or reducing the size of the tumor, surgery can provide a tissue sample for biopsy analysis, as explained in the Diagnosis section.

Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is the use of high-energy x-rays or other particles to kill cancer cells. A doctor who specializes in giving radiation therapy to treat cancer is called a radiation oncologist. The most common type of radiation treatment is called external-beam radiation therapy, which is radiation given from a machine outside the body. When radiation treatment is given using implants, it is called internal radiation therapy or brachytherapy.

Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the use of drugs to kill cancer cells. Systemic chemotherapy is delivered through the bloodstream, targeting cancer cells throughout the body. Chemotherapy is given by a medical oncologist, a doctor who specializes in treating cancer with medication. Some people may receive chemotherapy in their doctor’s office; others may go to the hospital. A chemotherapy regime (schedule) usually consists of a specific number of cycles given over a specific time.