Newly Published Results Suggest Pediatric Brain Tumor Treatments’ Effects Can Be Reversed

Anti-cancer drugs are an important part of brain tumor treatments. However, many of these drugs and therapies can have long-term effects when used to treat children, whose brains are still developing. As part of the National Brain Tumor Society’s (NBTS) “Developmental Neurobiology” program, the organization funded the research of Dr. Joseph Scafidi, of Children’s National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., on this subject. The question Dr. Scafidi and other researchers wanted to answer was this: Can the developmental deficits and effects brought on by pediatric brain tumor treatments be reversed?

In a recently published paper, the answer is a yes.

While the current treatments for young children with brain tumors can cause long-term functional and cognitive difficulties, those effects can be reversed with cognitive and physical therapy, as well as other rehabilitation activities. These findings are an encouraging sign that an active clinical team can potentially help a pediatric brain tumor survivor get their most out of their lives well into adulthood.

Watch: What Can We Do to Reverse the Long-term Effects of Pediatric Brain Tumors

Emboldened by the results, the National Brain Tumor Society’s Pediatric Initiatives are focused on finding a new standard in pediatric brain tumor treatments for children that allows them to reclaim the promises of their future.

TAGGED WITH: brain cancer, brain tumor, childhood cancer, pediatric, pediatric brain tumor, pediatric cancer, pediatrics, Treatment, Patient life