Symptoms can develop slowly and subtly and may go unnoticed for months. In other cases, the symptoms may arise abruptly. A sudden onset of symptoms tends to occur with rapidly growing, high-grade tumors.
Surgery may not be an option because the brain stem controls vital life functions and can easily be damaged. Radiation therapy can reduce symptoms and help slow the tumor’s growth. Low-grade brain stem gliomas can have very long periods of remission.
Please speak with your health care provider for more information about your tumor type, biomarkers, and treatment options, including clinical trials.
Ependymal tumors begin in the ependyma, cells that line the passageways in the brain where cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is produced and stored. Ependymomas are classified as either supratentorial (in the cerebral hemispheres) or infratentorial (in the back of the brain). Variations of this tumor type include subependymoma, subependymal giant-cell astrocytoma, and malignant ependymoma. Ependymoblastoma, which occurs in infants and children under three years, is no longer considered a subtype of ependymoma. For ependymoblastoma, see primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) in the Non-glial Tumors section.
The doctor will perform tests to determine if it has spread to the spinal cord. Surgery followed by radiation therapy is the usual course of treatment. A shunt may be needed to treat hydrocephalus caused by blockage of the ventricles.
Please speak with your health care provider for more information about your tumor type, biomarkers, and treatment options, including clinical trials.
A mixed glioma is often a combination of an astrocytoma and an oligodendroglioma (see oligodendroglioma for more).
Mixed gliomas are generally treated for the most anaplastic (cancerous) type of cell found in the tumor. For example, in the case of a tumor composed of an anaplastic astrocytoma and a low-grade oligodendroglioma, the treatment would be based on the anaplastic astrocytoma – the more aggressive of the two cell types.
Please speak with your health care provider for more information about your tumor type, biomarkers, and treatment options, including clinical trials.
Surgery is standard treatment, usually followed by radiation therapy or chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may be given to very young children instead of radiation therapy to avoid damage to the developing brain.
Please speak with your health care provider for more information about your tumor type, biomarkers, and treatment options, including clinical trials.
This tumor forms from ependymal cells, and is a variation of an ependymoma. Ependymal cells are cells line the passageway in the brain where cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is produced and stored. Ependymal tumors are classified as either supratentorial (in the cerebral hemispheres) or infratentorial (in the back of the brain). See “Ependymoma” for more information.
Surgery will be performed when possible. Radiation therapy may be used if the tumor progresses or recurs. A shunt may be needed to treat hydrocephalus (water on the brain).
Please speak with your health care provider for more information about your tumor type, biomarkers, and treatment options, including clinical trials.