Overview

Medulloblastoma is a type of brain tumor. A brain tumor begins when normal cells in the brain begin to change and grow uncontrollably, forming a mass. A tumor can be benign (noncancerous) or malignant (cancerous, meaning is can spread to other parts of the body). Medulloblastoma is most often cancerous.

The brain and spinal column make up the central nervous system (CNS), where all vital functions are controlled, including thought, speech, and body strength. Medulloblastoma begins in granular cells in the cerebellum (back of the brain). This is the part of the brain that controls body movement and coordination. Medulloblastoma may also be called a primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET).

Medulloblastoma occurs most commonly in children, and this section is about childhood medulloblastoma. Learn more about CNS tumors in children and brain tumors in adults.

Statistics

About 15% of childhood central nervous system tumors are medulloblastoma. The overall five-year survival rate (the percentage of people who survive at least five years after the cancer is detected, excluding those who die from other diseases) for children ages 0 to 14 with medulloblastoma is 55%.

Cancer survival statistics should be interpreted with caution. These estimates are based on data from thousands of cases of this type of cancer, but the actual risk for a particular individual may differ. It is not possible to tell a person how long he or she will live with medulloblastoma. Because the survival statistics are measured in five-year intervals, they may not represent advances made in the treatment or diagnosis of this cancer.

Source: American Cancer Society.

Find out more about basic cancer terms used in this section.