Brain Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Brain Cancer, including details on symptoms, benign and malignant tumors, gliomas, treatment.

Tumors of the central nervous system in the first year of life.

Larouche V, Huang A, Bartels U, Bouffet E

Paediatric Brain Tumour Program, Division of Paediatric Oncology/Haematology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, Canada.

Among 1,289 infants identified from this literature review, the most common histological diagnoses are astrocytoma (30.5%), medulloblastoma (12.2%), ependymoma (11.1%), and choroid plexus tumors (11%). Most tumors are supratentorial (65%). The most important prognostic factors are histology (malignant vs. benign) and extent of resection. Significant differences are noted for some tumor types by comparison with older children, for example in the aggressive behavior of low grade gliomas and the chemosensitivity of some high grade gliomas. While new techniques of radiation have been introduced in the management of infants, there is still reluctance to consider radiotherapy in this age group.

Published 23 October 2007 in Pediatr Blood Cancer, 49(7): 1074-82.
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