Medulloblastoma

Each type of cancer has its own research, treatments and resources devoted to them. This page gives an overview of Medulloblastoma and for your convenience we have included the most recent news stories concerning Medulloblastoma. Be sure to check out our listings page for links to more information.

Childhood medulloblastoma is a disease in which benign (noncancer) or malignant (cancer) cells form in the tissues of the brain.

Childhood medulloblastoma (tumor) usually forms in the cerebellum, which is at the lower back of the brain. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls movement, balance, and posture. Childhood medulloblastoma may also be called primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).

About 1 out of 5 childhood brain tumors are medulloblastomas. Although cancer is rare in children, brain tumors are the most common type of childhood cancer other than leukemia and lymphoma.

This summary refers to the treatment of primary brain tumors (tumors that begin in the brain). Treatment for metastatic brain tumors, which are tumors formed by cancer cells that begin in other parts of the body and spread to the brain, is not discussed in this summary.

Brain tumors can occur in both children and adults; however, treatment for children may be different than treatment for adults. (Refer to the PDQ treatment summary on Adult Brain Tumors for more information.)

The cause of most childhood brain tumors is unknown.

The signs of childhood medulloblastoma vary and often depend on the child’s age and where the tumor is located.

These symptoms may be caused by a medulloblastoma or other conditions. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:

Loss of balance, difficulty walking, worsening handwriting, or slow speech.
Morning headache or headache that goes away after vomiting.
Nausea and vomiting.
Unusual sleepiness or change in energy level.
Change in personality or behavior.
Unexplained weight loss or weight gain.
Tests that examine the brain and spinal cord are used to detect (find) childhood medulloblastoma.

The following tests and procedures may be used:

CT scan (CAT scan): A procedure that makes a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the body, taken from different angles. The pictures are made by a computer linked to an x-ray machine. A dye may be injected into a vein or swallowed to help the organs or tissues show up more clearly. This procedure is also called computed tomography, computerized tomography, or computerized axial tomography.
MRI (magnetic resonance imaging): A procedure that uses a magnet, radio waves, and a computer to make a series of detailed pictures of areas inside the brain and spinal cord. A substance called gadolinium is injected into the patient through a vein. The gadolinium collects around the cancer cells so they show up brighter in the picture. This procedure is also called nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI).
Childhood medulloblastoma is diagnosed and removed in surgery.

If a brain tumor is suspected, a biopsy is done by removing part of the skull and using a needle to remove a sample of the tumor tissue. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells. If cancer cells are found, the doctor will remove as much tumor as possible during the same surgery.

Certain factors affect prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options.

The prognosis (chance of recovery) and treatment options depend on:

The age of the child when the tumor is found.
The location of the tumor.
The amount of tumor remaining after surgery.
Whether the cancer has spread to other parts of the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord), or to other parts of the body, such as the bones.

 

Medulloblastoma in the News...

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 Taking up the challenge: Local cyclists join forces as Team Daisey (Beverly C...
Wenham’s Barbara and Peter Locke say their daughter, Daisy, is like most other 14-year-old girls.

 Taking up the challenge: Local cyclists join forces as Team Daisy in Pan Mass...
Daisy lives life like a fun-loving, humble young teen. And that is the greatest gift in the world for the Lockes.

 St. Jude’s like a big family (The Galesburg Register-Mail)
Forty-two area residents, will set out behind Cherry Street Restaurant and Bar at 6:30 a.m. Saturday for the 24th annual St. Jude Galesburg to Peoria Run.

 Quick formula could forecast which cancers chemo could kill (News-Medical-Net)
Researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center have coined a simple formula that predicts how well a certain chemotherapy will work for targeting brain and other nervous system cancers. The formula, which publishes mid-July in Cancer Chemotherapy and Pharmacology, is pegged to two important proteins that compose such hard-to-kill tumors - one of which, ironically, makes them so ...

 Greenbrier cancer survivor receives scholarship (The Log Cabin Democrat)
Meagan Aitchison, 20, of Greenbrier, is among 19 pediatric cancer survivors selected this year to receive Dennis Jungmeyer Scholarships valued at $2,500 each and awarded by the CARTI Foundation in Little Rock.

 Dynamic duo (Brainerd Dispatch)
[Judy Dahlin and Alex Eggert have little in common - she's 59 and he's 7.

 Bracelets of love, care (Fremont News-Messenger)
CLYDE -- "Friends of Alexa." Those few words were inscribed on bracelets sold throughout Clyde.

 Kerry's Mill City campaign stop (Lowell Sun)
LOWELL -- The burnished brick building looked like it had a few rounds with a wrecking ball. Rows of shattered windows along the Appleton Mills complex resembled missing teeth. Along the canal, piles of crumbling rock and rubble sat in a field of tall weeds.