adult central nervous system embryonal tumor

Treatment Options for Adult Central Nervous System Embryonal Tumors

Adult central nervous system (CNS) embryonal tumors are a type of cancer that affects the brain and spinal cord. While there is no specific medication used to treat these tumors, various treatment options are available to manage the disease.

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy may be used to decrease peritumoral edema and alleviate symptoms. However, it is not a primary treatment for embryonal CNS tumors.
• Conventional-dose intravenous cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens: These regimens have been shown to produce responses in the majority of patients (84.5%) with advanced embryonal CNS tumors, even as second- or third-line treatments.
• Nitrosourea-based regimens: These regimens less frequently produce responses (27%) and may be considered for patients who have not responded to other treatments.

Emerging Treatment Options

Recent improvements in treatment options include:

• Lower-dose therapies: These therapies aim to kill cancer cells while sparing healthy cells.
• Targeted therapy: This approach targets specific genetic mutations or proteins involved in the growth and spread of embryonal CNS tumors.
• Proton therapy: Proton therapy is a type of radiation therapy that uses protons instead of X-rays to treat cancer. It may be used to deliver precise doses of radiation to the tumor site.

Multidisciplinary Approach

The management of adult CNS cancers, including embryonal tumors, requires an interdisciplinary team approach. This involves collaboration between neurosurgeons, radiation therapists, oncologists, neurologists, and neuroradiologists to provide comprehensive care for patients.

References:

• [6] Steroids may be used for decreasing peritumoral edema.
• [14] Conventional-dose intravenous cisplatin-based chemotherapy regimens are able to produce responses in the majority of the patients (84.5%).
• [15] The NCCN Guidelines for Central Nervous System (CNS) Cancers focus on management of adult CNS cancers, including embryonal tumors.
• [11] Some embryonal CNS tumors contain changes in genes called MYC and MYCN.

The differential diagnosis for adult central nervous system (CNS) embryonal tumors involves considering various entities that can present with similar clinical and radiological features.

Key Entities to Consider

• Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT): A highly