Premium
Urgent radiotherapy is effective in the treatment of metastatic medulloblastoma causing symptomatic brainstem edema
Author(s) -
Shapiro Ronald H.,
Chang Andrew L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.23085
Subject(s) - medicine , medulloblastoma , radiation therapy , brainstem , blood cancer , hydrocephalus , spinal cord , edema , surgery , radiology , cancer , pathology , psychiatry
A 3‐year‐old male who presented with hydrocephalus symptoms was found to have metastatic medulloblastoma with diffuse spinal disease. Thirteen days following surgical resection of his primary tumor, he clinically deteriorated due to worsening brainstem edema. Following intubation, stress‐dose steroids, and mannitol, urgent radiotherapy was initiated to the whole brain and cervical cord. The patient improved clinically with a repeat MRI showing decreased leptomeningeal enhancement in the radiation fields. In the literature, there are no reports of successful urgent radiotherapy in medulloblastoma, but in this instance, it proved to be a viable option. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2011; 57: 1077–1080. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.