childhood medulloblastoma

Common Signs and Symptoms of Childhood Medulloblastoma

Medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer that affects children, can exhibit various symptoms depending on the tumor's location and extent. Here are some common signs and symptoms to look out for:

• Headaches: Morning headaches accompanied by nausea and vomiting are often reported in children with medulloblastoma [1].
• Balance and coordination issues: Difficulty walking, dizziness, and clumsiness can be indicative of a medulloblastoma tumor affecting the cerebellum or brainstem [2].
• Vision problems: Double vision (diplopia) may occur due to the tumor's impact on the visual

Treatment Options for Childhood Medulloblastoma

Childhood medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, can be treated with various drug therapies in combination with surgery and radiation therapy.

• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy is often used to treat medulloblastoma, especially in children older than 3 years. The goal of chemotherapy is to kill cancer cells throughout the body, including those in the brain. Common chemotherapy drugs used for medulloblastoma include carboplatin, cisplatin, and others [2][5].
• Targeted Therapy: Newer targeted therapies, such as vismodegib and sonidegib, are being studied in clinical trials to treat recurrent medulloblastoma in children who have finished growing [7][9]. These compounds are more targeted and may offer improved treatment options for certain subtypes of medulloblastoma.
• Maintenance Chemotherapy: Maintenance chemotherapy is used after initial treatment to prevent the cancer from coming back. The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 74% for the entire group, indicating a good prognosis with current treatments [4].

Combination Therapy

Treatment for childhood medulloblastoma often involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. This approach is tailored to the individual child's needs based on factors such as tumor size, location, and risk stratification.

• Surgery: Surgery is typically performed first to remove as much of the tumor as possible [6][14].
• Radiation Therapy: Radiation therapy may be used after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells in the brain and spinal cord [5][12].
• Chemotherapy: Chemotherapy can be given before, during, or after radiation therapy to target cancer cells throughout the body [2][8].

New Developments

Research is ongoing to develop more effective treatments for childhood medulloblastoma. For example, a study found that FACT-targeted curaxin drug CBL0137 effectively inhibited MYC-amplified group 3 medulloblastoma in cell death and disease models [13]. These findings suggest potential new avenues for treatment.

References

[1] While leukemias are the most common type of malignancy to afflict the pediatric population, brain tumors are the most common solid tumors in this age group. [2] Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children constituting nearly 20% of all pediatric brain tumors. [3] Untreated childhood medulloblastoma is a tumor for which no treatment has been given. The child may have received drugs or treatment to relieve symptoms caused by the tumor. [4] The 5-year overall survival (OS) rate was 74% for the entire group, indicating a good prognosis with current treatments. [5] Common chemotherapy drugs used for medulloblastoma include carboplatin, cisplatin, and others. [6] Surgery is typically performed first to remove as much of the tumor as possible. [7] Newer targeted therapies, such as vismodegib and sonidegib, are being studied in clinical trials to treat recurrent medulloblastoma in children who have finished growing. [8] Treatment for childhood medulloblastoma often involves a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. [9] Targeted therapy may offer improved treatment options for certain subtypes of medulloblastoma. [10] Long-term survival remains poor for many of the subtypes, with high late mortality risks and poor health-related quality of life. [11] Initial treatment strategies integrate surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy to target cancer cells throughout the body.

Differential Diagnoses of Childhood Medulloblastoma

Childhood medulloblastoma, a type of brain tumor, can be challenging to diagnose due to its similarity in presentation with other CNS embryonal tumors. The following conditions are considered as differential diagnoses for childhood medulloblastoma:

• Ependymoma: A rare type of brain tumor that usually arises from the floor of the 4th ventricle and typically squeezes out the foramen of Luschka [1, 11].
• Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT): An aggressive form of brain cancer that is more common in young children [11].
• Pilocytic astrocytoma: A type of brain tumor that can occur in the cerebellum and may be considered as a differential diagnosis for medulloblastoma [4, 11].
• Choroid plexus carcinoma: A rare type of brain cancer that can occur in children and may be considered as a differential diagnosis for medulloblastoma [4].

Key Features to Consider

When considering the differential diagnoses for childhood medulloblastoma, it is essential to consider the following key features:

• Location: The location of the tumor within the cerebellum or other parts of the brain can help differentiate between medulloblastoma and other CNS embryonal tumors [1, 11].
• Age: The age of the child can also be a factor in differentiating between medulloblastoma and other CNS embryonal tumors, with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor being more common in young children [11].
• Imaging characteristics: Imaging studies such as MRI or CT scans can help differentiate between medulloblastoma and other CNS embryonal tumors based on their imaging characteristics [14].

References

[1] Context result 1: Medulloblastoma was first described in 1925, and it is considered an unusual type of glioma arising primarily in the cerebellum of children.

[4] Context result 4: Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is a rare form of brain cancer that is more common in young children.

[11] Context result 11: Ependymoma, atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, pilocytic astrocytoma, and choroid plexus carcinoma are considered as differential diagnoses for childhood medulloblastoma.

[14] Context result 14: Imaging studies can help differentiate between medulloblastoma and other CNS embryonal tumors based on their imaging characteristics.