Medulloblastoma

Why choose us for pediatric medulloblastoma care?

Medulloblastoma is a rare malignant brain tumor (brain cancer) that most commonly affects young children. Families from South Texas and beyond trust Mays Cancer Center for our specialized skill and leading medulloblastoma treatments.

Our team has additional training in pediatric neurosurgery and pediatric oncology. We offer precise, personalized care for rare and complex brain tumors in children of all ages. Our deep experience treating rare childhood cancers with radiation therapies helps us deliver precise care with a focus on children’s long-term health and comfort.

Find out more about our pediatric neuro-oncology program.

What you need to know about medulloblastoma in children

• Medulloblastoma occurs when normal embryonic cells at the base of the brain (called the cerebellum) start to grow in odd and uncontrolled ways.
• All brain tumors occur only rarely in children. Medulloblastoma is the most common brain cancer to develop during childhood, usually affecting children between 5 and 10 years old.
• Less often, medulloblastoma happens to adults. Doctors treat children with brain tumors differently than adults. It’s important to choose specialists with a high degree of training and experience treating these rare brain tumors in children.
• Our team’s clinical psychologists and social workers understand the changes and stressors a medulloblastoma diagnosis can create for families. We guide families to resources that can help them navigate the challenges they face throughout cancer treatment.

How to talk to your doctor about medulloblastoma brain tumors in children

There’s no right way to react to a child’s cancer diagnosis. If a medulloblastoma diagnosis has touched your family, we’re here to answer your questions and support you. You can trust our team to offer research-based medical guidance and leading treatment options tailored to your child’s needs.

We explain your child’s diagnosis and treatment options in detail, including how clinical trials might enhance their care, if they are eligible. We encourage you to reach out to us with questions or concerns at any time.

You might want to ask your doctor about:

• Additional testing, if any, that your child may need to guide diagnosis or treatment
• Cancer subtype, including the type of medulloblastoma and whether (or where) it has spread
• Treatment options, including what to expect if your child needs surgery
• Potential treatment side effects, such as changes in how your child thinks or acts
• Support services help families address physical, emotional or social difficulties due to brain tumor treatment

Types

Medulloblastoma tumors are called primary brain tumors because they originate (start growing) inside the brain. Doctors classify subgroups of medulloblastoma in children based on cells’ molecular makeup (specific gene mutations) and how cell patterns look under a microscope.

All medulloblastoma types are known to spread quickly within the central nervous system (which includes the brain, spinal cord and spinal fluid). This cancer is unlikely to spread to other areas of the body, such as the lymph nodes or other organs.

Symptoms

Common medulloblastoma symptoms include:

• Headaches that usually happen in the early morning or evening hours
• Vision changes, such as double vision
• Nausea and vomiting that doesn’t go away and isn’t related to a stomach bug
• Unsteady walking pattern, such as falling often or seeming dizzy
• Unusual daytime sleepiness
• Odd behaviors, including head bobbing or eyes darting back and forth (called nystagmus)

Diagnosis

We first perform a physical exam to thoroughly evaluate your child’s symptoms. Many medulloblastoma tumors require advanced imaging or other tests to ensure a precise diagnosis. We may recommend:

• Imaging tests such as computed tomography (CT) scans or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to show clear details of a tumor’s size and location
• Neurological exam to rule out other causes of unusual changes in your child’s coordination, vision and hearing
• Lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to test a small sample of spinal cord fluid (by carefully guiding a needle into a child’s lower back) for cancer cells

We use leading diagnostic tests to identify the specific type of pediatric brain tumor your child has. This information gives us clues to how a cancer may act, such as how fast cells may grow or what kind of threat it poses to your child’s health.

Several pediatric neuro-oncology specialists review your child’s test results and other care considerations at regular meetings called tumor boards. There, doctors with different areas of expertise share their insights, which helps ensure a precise diagnosis and a full picture of your child’s health.

Learn more about diagnosing cancer.

Treatment

Treatment for children with medulloblastoma tumors usually includes a combination of surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. You can expect treatment options that are based on proven scientific methods and some of the most advanced therapies available. We personalize a plan to your child’s circumstances, considering their age, tumor features and your family’s input.

Medulloblastoma treatment may include:

• Surgery: We usually recommend surgery to treat medulloblastoma. Our fellowship-trained pediatric neurosurgeon is skilled in performing intricate brain tumor surgeries on infants to young adults. We may recommend surgery to remove as much tumor tissue as possible. Surgery can also relieve buildup of cerebrospinal fluid that tumor growth has blocked. Our team’s skill enables precise care that helps protect children’s healthy tissue and vital structures. Learn more about pediatric neurosurgery.

• Chemotherapy and other medicines: After your child has recovered from surgery, we may recommend your child receive cancer-destroying drugs (like chemotherapy or targeted therapy). These medicines can help rid your child’s body of remaining cancer cells. We care for children who receive chemotherapy at a child-friendly inpatient unit at University Hospital, where we help keep children safe and comfortable.
• Radiation therapy: We offer some of the latest radiation therapies available today. Our team offers pediatric radiation therapy expertise that enables a high degree of safety and comfort for children of all ages.

Brain tumor treatment has the potential to affect pediatric cancer survivors’ health long after treatment ends. We partner with families to monitor children as they grow up, helping patients identify and manage potential health concerns at early stages. Read about our childhood cancer survivorship program.

Research

We partner with well-known childhood cancer research groups, including the National Cancer Institute’s Children’s Oncology Group. This association enables us to provide eligible patients with enhanced treatment options.

Your doctor will explain whether your child may be eligible for any ongoing brain tumor clinical trials. We’ll also discuss how we help match eligible children quickly with newly available targeted therapies.

Read more about pediatric cancer clinical trials.