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Home :: Family Health :: Medulloblastoma Medulloblastoma - Medulloblastoma symptom, treatment, causesMedulloblastoma is the most common type of malignant brain tumour affecting children. Medulloblastoma usually arises in the cerebellum. which is the part of the brain that coordinates voluntary muscle activity. The tumour grows rapidly and may spread to other parts of the brain or to the spinal cord. Symptoms include headache and vomiting. with abnormal gait and frequent falls due to disturbed cerebellar function. Treatment is by radiotherapy. sometimes followed by anti-cancer drugs. About half of those affected survive for 5 years after reatment. Medulloblastoma is the most common primary brain tumour in children, with a bimodal incidence at the ages of 4-8 years, then in the early 20s and accounts for 20% of childhood brain tumors. Common symptoms are unsteadiness, headaches, and vomiting due to hydrocephalus (from blockage of cerebrospinal fluid flow). Some of these tumors have the ability to shed cells which can then travel through the cerebrospinal fluid and can start growing in other areas of the central nervous system. They develop in the cerebellum (see diagram), in a part of the brain called the posterior fossa, but may spread to other parts of the brain. Brain tumors are grouped by their location within the brain and the type of brain cells where the cancer began. Infratentorial tumors are found in the lower part of the brain. Medulloblastoma is an infratentorial tumor. Medulloblastoma is usually found only in children or young adults. It can spread from the brain to the spine or to other parts of the body. Medulloblastomas usually occur in children, particularly between the ages of three and eight. They make up about 1 in 5 of all childhood brain tumours. The tumour is more common in males than females. They can also occur in adults, but this is extremely rare. Medulloblastoma is a brain cancer that occurs in children and young adults. Medulloblastomas are malignant tumours formed from poorly developed cells at a very early stage of their life. Diagnosis is usually within one to three months of the onset of symptoms, as this is a fast-growing tumor. It is uncertain whether tumors which arise in these different areas of the brain are identical to medulloblastoma in their biologic behavior , as the actual cell of origin of the medulloblastoma remains unknown. Factors which account for the development of the medulloblastoma, its tendency to spread outside of its primary site of origin, or its ability to withstand chemotherapy and radiation are unknown. If they do spread to other parts of the brain, or to the spinal cord, this is usually through the cerebrospinal fluid . CSF is the fluid that surrounds and protects the brain and the spinal cord. Medulloblastomas can be divided into two categories Classic and desmoplastic (or nodular). About 25% of cases are of the desmoplastic variant, and these have a slightly better prognosis. The desmoplastic variant is more common in adults, and is a less aggressive tumor. Causes of MedulloblastomaThe common Causes of Medulloblastoma : Symptoms of MedulloblastomaSome Symptoms of Medulloblastoma :
Treatment of Medulloblastoma
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