Brain Tumors
What is it?
A brain tumor is a mass located within the
skull. They can be malignant (cancerous) or
benign (non-cancerous) or mixed. Brain tumors are
categorized by location and cell type. In
children, the incidence is 2.2-2.5 cases per
100,000, with the peak being between birth and 10
years of age. Brain tumors are slightly more
common in boys.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of brain tumors are related to:
- Size and location of the tumor
- Pressure on surrounding structures of the
brain
- Increase in pressure within the brain
These symptoms may include morning headaches,
vomiting, lethargy, personality changes,
declining school performance or seizure activity.
The intensity of these symptoms can be quite
variable.
Diagnosis
Your physician may refer you to a neurologist
or a neurosurgeon for evaluation. The evaluation
would include a very thorough physical exam/
neurological examination. A CT scan or MRI would
be performed to gather information about the
brain and look for abnormalities.
If a tumor is found, the child would undergo a
biopsy or resection of the tumor dependant upon
the location and size to determine the pathology
(the kind of cells that make up the tumor). The
result of this takes several days. Upon final
diagnosis, the treatment plan would need to be
determined.
Treatment
Treatment for a brain tumor can involve
surgical removal, chemotherapy, and/or radiation.
The choices for treatment are largely dependent
upon the classification of the tumor.
Because of the various modalities used to
treat brain tumors a number of physicians and
other specialists may be involved in the care.
The neurosurgery, oncology and radiation therapy
teams, made up of physicians, nurses, social
workers and rehabilitation specialists are some
of the possibilities. It is important for
children with cancer to be treated in a center
with these specialists who can meet the varied
needs of the child with a brain tumor. Most
childhood cancer centers belong to the
Children’s Oncology Group. They are responsible
for the development of protocols (treatment
plans) specifically for children, adolescents and
young adults.
This information has been designed as a comprehensive and quick reference
guide written by our health care reviewers. The health information written
by our authors is intended to be a supplement to the care provided by your
physician. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for
professional medical advice.
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