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.