Medulloblastoma

The Medulloblastoma is a neurological disease that occurs predominantly in childhood. The malignant brain tumor occurs mainly in the area of ​​the back of the head, but has a good chance of recovery. Research into the causes has not yet been sufficiently completed.

What is a medulloblastoma?

The Medulloblastoma is considered the most common malignant brain tumor in children up to the age of 15. It develops as a malignant tumor in the area of ​​the cerebellum, from there it usually grows to an adjacent cerebral chamber and spreads further to healthy tissue.

The brain stem is also often affected by medulloblastoma. Metastases develop primarily in the areas that are in contact with the nerve water. In addition to the ventricles themselves, this also includes areas around the brain, the meninges and the spinal cord.

An average of 90 children develop a new medulloblastoma every year. Boys are affected about one and a half times as often as girls. The age of the disease is usually between five and eight years.

causes

The Medulloblastoma Usually develops spontaneously, which means that hereditary factors are unlikely to be the cause of the tumor. However, the causes of the disease have not yet been adequately researched. However, it is known that the medulloblastoma degenerates from immature, embryonic cells, i.e. that cells of the nervous tissue change in a malignant manner.

In the case of illnesses in adulthood, a connection between radiation therapy in childhood, for example in the course of treating leukemia, and the development of the tumor in later years has been established.

Symptoms, ailments & signs

A medulloblastoma increases in size quickly and causes symptoms relatively early. Initially, the tumor leads to increased pressure inside the skull. This results in a number of unspecific complaints, for example headaches, nausea and vomiting or dizziness. The symptoms typically appear in the morning after getting up and weaken as the day progresses.

The nausea occurs mainly in the morning and on an empty stomach. Those affected also experience increasing discomfort and a gradual deterioration in their physical and mental condition. For example, exhaustion, difficulty concentrating and sleep problems set in. If the tumor is located in the area behind the eyes, visual disturbances can occur.

Then the sick person perceives double vision, crosses or suffers from eye tremors. A medulloblastoma also displaces the cerebellar structures. This causes movement disorders and other neurological complaints. Possible accompanying symptoms are numbness or tingling. In the worst case, paralysis in the arms and legs occurs.

As the tumor grows, the nature of the patient can change, who often appears irritable, restless or confused in the later stages of the disease. In addition, a head of water forms as a result of the drainage disorders of the nerve water. Other external signs can be tumors in the spinal canal and in the area of ​​the skull.

Diagnosis & course

Numerous symptoms that one Medulloblastoma are uncharacteristic, so they often occur in other diseases and can have a harmless cause.

From headaches to nausea, dizziness and blurred vision to numbness, the list of symptoms is long. Coordination difficulties can also occur in the course of the disease. All symptoms are conceivable that are triggered by the increasing pressure in the brain or caused by metastases, especially in the area of ​​the spinal cord.

In particularly young patients, an increased increase in head circumference and the so-called water head can often be found in the advanced stage.

The diagnosis is based on a detailed medical history. This is followed by the imaging process. The first examination results are obtained by means of computed tomography and magnetic resonance tomography. If there is justified suspicion of a medulloblastoma, a tissue sample is surgically removed and subjected to a tissue examination.

A collection and examination of the nerve water is also necessary. On the basis of the examination results, the type of tumor, the position and size as well as the spread are diagnosed.

Complications

Since medulloblastoma is a tumor in the brain, it leads to the usual symptoms of cancer. As a rule, in a very unfavorable case, the cancer can also spread to other regions of the body and also affect healthy tissue there. This will reduce the life expectancy of the person affected. For this reason, the further complications or chances of recovery depend very much on the time of diagnosis and the severity of the medulloblastoma.

Those affected suffer primarily from severe headaches and dizziness. There is also vomiting or squinting. The patients experience disorders of sensitivity or paralysis in various parts of the body. In many cases there are also disorders of coordination or concentration. Visual problems can also occur and thereby significantly reduce the patient's quality of life.

Treatment of the medulloblastoma can be done surgically and is not associated with complications. However, the patients are still dependent on chemotherapy, which can lead to various side effects. Further check-ups are also necessary after the treatment. As a rule, it cannot be universally predicted whether the medulloblastoma will lead to a reduction in life expectancy.

When should you go to the doctor?

In most cases, medulloblastoma occurs in childhood. Therefore, adolescents in particular are affected by the disease and should be examined at the first signs. If the child complains of dizziness, headache or sleep problems, a doctor should be consulted. Impaired concentration, abnormal learning, or repeated vomiting are cause for concern. Medulloblastoma is characterized by strong symptoms at the beginning of the day. The intensity of the symptoms usually subsides over the next few hours. Often at the end of the day, the feeling of recovery sets in until all symptoms reappear the following morning.

Children who suffer from sudden impaired vision, unsteady gait and an increased risk of accidents and injuries should be presented to a doctor. A doctor is needed if the skin has sensory disorders, numbness or a tingling sensation on the skin. Movement disorders, a reduction in well-being and behavioral problems must be examined by a doctor. If the child shows unusual mood swings, school performance will decline and withdrawal behavior occurs, a doctor should be consulted. Lumps on the back along the spine, swellings or other changes in the appearance of the skin are signs of an existing disorder that require a medical consultation. A special warning that should be examined immediately is an unnatural increase in head circumference.

Treatment & Therapy

The treatment options are available with early detection of the Medulloblastoma Cheap. Today, more than 70 percent of patients can be cured if the tumor is recognized and treated in good time.

First, the tumor is removed as completely as possible. To do this, the skull is surgically opened and the diseased tissue is cut out. If possible, this is carried out using microsurgical or laser surgery in order to keep the subsequent physical discomfort as low as possible. In addition, therapy with radioactive radiation is carried out, since the tumor cells are particularly sensitive to radiation.

Alternatively, chemotherapy is performed. Depending on the age of the patient and their development, possible side effects of both forms of therapy must be weighed up.

In the case of particularly large tumors or if the medulloblastoma is in a very difficult-to-reach area, the diseased tissue can initially only be partially removed surgically and then reduced in size with radiation and chemotherapy. In this way, the remaining material can be removed in a second surgical procedure.

In addition, it may be necessary to contain the side effects. The medulloblastoma can block or relocate the drainage of the nerve water. This misalignment must then be corrected using a hose system. A so-called external drainage is often placed here, with which the nerve water is drained outwards.

Outlook & forecast

The prognosis depends on the size of the tumor and the extent to which the tumor has been removed. Basically, the outlook is poor if metastases have formed. About half of all patients are tumor-free after surgery. You can go on with a normal life. However, it cannot be ruled out that the tumor may recur. That is why aftercare is of great importance.

Medulloblastoma is more common in children compared to adults. A good every fifth brain tumor in minors can be traced back to this disease; for adults it is only about one percent. 10 years after the start of treatment, 70 percent of all sick children are still alive. Children between the ages of four and nine and adults around the age of 30 are most frequently affected. The variants of the tumor have different expected values. The majority of all patients survive a desmoplastic medulloblastoma. The chances of recovery are poorer with an anaplastic or large cell medulloblastoma.

Without treatment, patients run the risk of the medulloblastoma enlarging and entering the brain further. Only consistent therapy can lead to freedom from symptoms. Life expectancy is significantly reduced without treatment.

prevention

Basically, it is advisable to protect yourself and your children from radiation and pollution. Contact with cancer-causing chemicals should also be avoided. In addition, a healthy, balanced diet and sufficient exercise strengthen the immune system. Still, there are no general measures that can lead to a Medulloblastoma prevent.

Aftercare

As with all tumorous diseases, after treatment of the medulloblastoma, close follow-up care is initially required. The aim of this is to detect any new tumors or metastases very early on. In the case of a brain tumor, follow-up checks are therefore carried out several times a year at intervals of a few months.

If no abnormalities are found, the intervals between the next inspection will increase. Whether there are any new growths is usually checked via MRI or CT. Precisely because malignant brain tumors often have a high risk of recurrence despite initial successful treatment, it is important that those affected keep their appointments for follow-up care regularly.

The prognosis for new tumors is more favorable the earlier they are discovered. New brain tumors do not always immediately lead to symptoms that should warn the patient. Findings in need of treatment are often discovered by chance during follow-up care.

However, if you notice unusual pain outside of the follow-up check-ups, this is always a reason to see the treating doctor as soon as possible. The doctor can decide whether the next follow-up appointment should be brought forward in order to be able to rule out the possibility that new tumors have formed as soon as possible.

You can do that yourself

If a medulloblastoma has been diagnosed, surgical removal of the tumor is definitely indicated. Which measures those affected can take themselves depends on the severity of the tumor and any accompanying symptoms. In principle, you can treat the individual complaints yourself.

Cool pads on the forehead and neck help against typical headaches. Gentle natural remedies such as belladonna or arnica can also help. Nausea and vomiting can usually be relieved with a large meal. If serious complaints such as visual disturbances or balance disorders occur, the doctor should be consulted. It is best to refrain from self-treatment using home remedies.

After a surgical procedure, the person affected should rest for a few weeks. At the same time, regular check-ups by the doctor are necessary in order to be able to identify any recurrences or other problems at an early stage. If physical complaints develop as a result of the radiation treatment, medical advice is also required. General measures such as exercise and a healthy and balanced diet help against typical after-effects such as tiredness and fatigue. In addition to these measures, a therapist can be called in to support the patient in dealing with the cancer.