Medulloblastomas

[Dave Paprocki]

Medulloblastomas are rapidly growing brain tumors that develop in the cerebellum (the part of the brain that helps control coordination and balance).

The cause of medulloblastomas is not known.
Children may have frequent vomiting, trouble with balance, headaches, nausea, lethargy, or double vision.
Diagnosis usually involves an imaging test, biopsy, and a spinal tap.
The prognosis depends on whether the cancer is average risk or high risk.
Treatment is surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.

(See also Overview of Brain Tumors in Children.)
Medulloblastomas account for about 20% of brain and spinal cord cancers in children. These tumors tend to occur in children who are 3 to 4 years old or 8 to 10 years old, but they can occur in infants and younger children and throughout adolescence.
Medulloblastomas develop in the part of the brain that controls coordination and balance (cerebellum), which is located in the back of the brain below the cerebrum. Medulloblastomas tend to spread to other parts of the brain and to the spinal cord. Occasionally, they spread to other parts of the body.
What causes medulloblastomas is unclear. They sometimes occur in people with certain hereditary disorders (such as Gorlin syndrome or Turcot syndrome).