Medulloblastoma
Axial view of head... with and without contrast.
I chose this disease because I had never heard of it before, and I figured it had to do with the Medulla oblongata and everyone seems to be obsessed with that word and its very fun to say!
What is Medulloblastoma?
Medulloblastoma is a disease that is usually malignant. It is one of the most common central nervous system tumors found during child hood. This highly malignant tumor can be found in the 4th ventricle in the brain. This ventricle is located in between the brain stem and the cerebellum. If this tumor is left untreated it is highly susceptible to spreading to the central nervous system and though not likely even to specific organs. The only way to determine that you could potentially have this disease is through an MRI and through a cerebral spinal fluid analysis to stage the cancer cells.
Symptoms of Medulloblastoma
The most commonly seen symptoms of this disease are: headaches, unsteadiness, high pressure within the brain, fatigue, and even vomiting. Vomiting is usually due to the blockage of cerebral spinal fluid flow to the brain. Because this type of tumor is ridiculously fast growing diagnosis is usually within the first 1-3 months of the patient starting to have the specific symptoms. In rare cases the patient could even be in a coma or appear in a great amount of distress do to bleeding within the tumor itself.
Sagittal T1 MRI image with contrast
Treatment
There are many treatments that are available now to help treat Medulloblastoma. The most common treatment methods are: VP shunt, surgery to remove the tumor, radiation, and chemotherapy. Although there are always risks involved in all three treatments, treatment options can be scary and very nerve racking. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt is used to help regulate CSF pressure within the brain. According to studies treatment has become a lot more effective and safer for this disease. Life expectancy is much more significant if the tumor is taken out and treated aggressively. Although with these treatment options there are great risks involved, such as loss of speech and balance difficulties. Many studies are being conducted for this disease, so far they have concluded that 8 out of 10 children that are treated aggressively with radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy are usually at some degree of being tumor free or cured after 5 years of extensive treatment, although they only have a 50% chance of staying disease free post treatment.
There are many treatments that are available now to help treat Medulloblastoma. The most common treatment methods are: VP shunt, surgery to remove the tumor, radiation, and chemotherapy. Although there are always risks involved in all three treatments, treatment options can be scary and very nerve racking. A ventriculoperitoneal shunt is used to help regulate CSF pressure within the brain. According to studies treatment has become a lot more effective and safer for this disease. Life expectancy is much more significant if the tumor is taken out and treated aggressively. Although with these treatment options there are great risks involved, such as loss of speech and balance difficulties. Many studies are being conducted for this disease, so far they have concluded that 8 out of 10 children that are treated aggressively with radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy are usually at some degree of being tumor free or cured after 5 years of extensive treatment, although they only have a 50% chance of staying disease free post treatment.
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