childhood astrocytic tumor

Childhood Astrocytoma: A Type of Brain Tumor

A childhood astrocytoma is a type of brain tumor that arises from the star-shaped cells called astrocytes, a type of glial cell. It is the most common type of brain tumor in children, accounting for more than half of all primary CNS malignancies in children [5][6].

Characteristics and Symptoms

Childhood astrocytomas can be low-grade or high-grade, with low-grade tumors being slow-growing and high-grade tumors being faster-growing. The symptoms of astrocytoma depend on factors such as the child's age, the tumor's location and size, and how fast the tumor grows [4]. Common symptoms include:

• Headaches
• Vision problems
• Weakness or numbness in the face or limbs
• Seizures

Treatment Options

The treatment options for childhood astrocytoma depend on various factors, including the type of tumor, its grade, and the extent of the disease. Treatment may involve surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, or a combination of these [14].

Prognosis

The prognosis for children with astrocytoma generally gets worse as the grade increases. However, with proper treatment, many children can recover from this type of brain tumor [12].

Diagnostic Tests for Childhood Astrocytic Tumors

Childhood astrocytic tumors, also known as astrocytomas, are a type of brain cancer that affects children and adolescents. Diagnosing these tumors requires a combination of medical history, physical examination, and various diagnostic tests.

• Imaging Tests: Imaging tests play a crucial role in diagn

Treatment Options for Childhood Astrocytic Tumors

Childhood astrocytic tumors are a type of brain cancer that can be treated with various drug therapies. The treatment options depend on the tumor's type, stage, and location.

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing them or stopping them from dividing. This treatment may be given alone or in combination with other treatments, such as radiation therapy.
  • According to search result [3], chemotherapy may be used before or after surgery to eliminate any remaining tumor cells.
• Targeted Therapy: Targeted therapy uses drugs that specifically target cancer cells, reducing harm to healthy cells. This treatment is often used for low-grade astrocytomas.
  • Search result [5] mentions the use of everolimus or sirolimus as targeted therapy options for shrinking tumors.
  • Search result [7] notes the use of bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy for treating low-grade astrocytoma.
• Combination Therapy: Combination therapy involves using multiple treatments together to target cancer cells more effectively. This approach may include chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and targeted therapy.
  • Search result [9] highlights the use of trametinib in combination with dabrafenib for treating low-grade glioma (LGG) with a BRAF V600E mutation.

Recent Developments

In recent years, there have been significant advancements in the treatment of childhood astrocytic tumors. For example:

• Dabrafenib and Trametinib: The combination of dabrafenib and trametinib has shown promise in treating low-grade glioma (LGG) with a BRAF V600E mutation.
  • Search result [9] notes that this treatment combination is indicated for pediatric patients aged 1 year and older.

References

[3] - Each child’s treatment plan depends on the tumor’s type, stage, and location. Treatment options may include: Surgery: The surgeon will remove as much of the tumor as possible. Chemotherapy: We may use chemotherapy, a drug treatment that aims to destroy or shrink cancer cells, either before or after treatment to eliminate any remaining tumor ...

[5] - May 11, 2022 — Targeted therapy with everolimus or sirolimus is used for shrinking tumors.

[7] - Strategies for the treatment of childhood cancer have changed considerably during the last 50 years and have led to dramatic improvements in long-term survival. Despite these accomplishments, CNS tumors remain the leading cause of death in pediatric oncology. Astrocytic tumors form the most common histologic group among childhood brain tumors. They are a heterogeneous group that from a ...

[9] - The evidence for dabrafenib plus trametinib. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended the NHS offer dabrafenib plus trametinib to treat glioma after evaluating at the results of the TADPOLE-G trial.. TADPOLE-G showed that the new drug combination stops low-grade gliomas with a BRAF V600E mutation from growing or causing new problems for an average of two years ...

The differential diagnosis of childhood astrocytic tumors involves considering various types of brain tumors that can affect children, in addition to astrocytomas. According to the provided context [4], Astrocytoma is the most common type of glioma diagnosed in children.

Other conditions that should be considered in the differential diagnosis include:

• Pilocytic astrocytoma: This is a rare childhood brain tumor that is typically benign and slow-growing [7]. It usually does not spread.
• Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas (PXAs): These are rare neoplasms that comprise less than 1% of all astrocytic tumors, more frequently encountered in childhood and young adulthood [15].
• Juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma (JPA) is a type of brain tumor that is typically benign and slow-growing, usually does not spread [7].

It's worth noting that the differential diagnosis among these tumors still largely relies on histopathological assessment [14].