Medulloblastoma Flashcards
What is medulloblastoma?
Medulloblastoma develops from primitive neuroectodermal cells (PNET) in the cerebellum.
In which population is medulloblastoma most common?
Medulloblastoma is most common in children.
Where is medulloblastoma most often located?
Medulloblastoma is most often located in the cerebellum, which controls coordination.
What is the growth rate and spread pattern of medulloblastoma?
Medulloblastoma is a fast-growing (Grade 4) tumor that often spreads throughout the CSF pathways and by local invasion.
What are the symptoms of medulloblastoma?
Symptoms include ataxia, which is a lack of coordination in movement.
What are the primary treatment options for medulloblastoma?
Treatment includes surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy.
What does surgery aim to achieve in medulloblastoma treatment?
Surgery is used for debulking, decompression, and accurate diagnosis.
What is the focus of radiation treatment for medulloblastoma?
Radiation treatment targets the whole CNS axis, covering the entire subarachnoid space and including the cauda equina.
How is craniospinal axis irradiation typically administered?
Craniospinal cases are typically treated in the prone position with lateral whole brain fields and one or more posterior spinal fields.
What is important to consider when matching treatment fields?
Care must be taken to match the beam divergence with no overlap allowed.
How can hot or cold spots be avoided at the junction between brain and spine fields?
Hot or cold spots can be avoided by feathering the gap.
What technique is used for feathering the gap?
The gap can be shifted by 1 cm every 1000 cGy, allowing a 1 cm gap between fields daily.
How does the length of brain and spine fields change with this technique?
The length of the brain and spine fields changes daily, while the central axis of the brain field remains constant.
What other methods may be used for feathering the gap?
Other methods may include using couch kick to form a straight edge.
What alternative methods can be used for craniospinal axis irradiation?
Craniospinal axis irradiation may also be accomplished with tomotherapy or proton treatment.
