ON THIS PAGE: You will learn more about coping with the physical, emotional, social, and financial effects of a childhood brain tumor and its treatment. Use the menu to see other pages.

Every treatment for a brain tumor can cause side effects or changes to your child’s body and how they feel. For many reasons, people do not experience the same side effects even when they are given the same treatment for the same tumor type. This can make it hard to predict how your child will feel during treatment.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about how doctors describe this brain tumor’s growth or spread. This is called the stage. Use the menu to see other pages.

READ MORE BELOW:

• What is cancer staging?

• Standard-risk tumor

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a list of common tests, procedures, and scans that doctors use to find the cause of a medical problem. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors use many tests to find, or diagnose, a brain tumor. They also do tests to learn if a cancerous tumor has spread to another part of the body from where it started. If the cancer has spread, it is called metastasis. Doctors may also do tests to learn which treatments could work best.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find information about the estimated number of children who will be diagnosed with medulloblastoma each year. You will also read general information on surviving the disease. Remember, survival rates depend on several factors, and no 2 people with a tumor are the same. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about childhood medulloblastoma and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Childhood Medulloblastoma. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

About the central nervous system and brain tumors

The brain and spinal column make up the central nervous system (CNS), which is where all vital functions are controlled, including thought, speech, and body strength.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about the factors that increase the chance of developing astrocytoma. Use the menu to see other pages.

What are the risk factors for astrocytoma?

A risk factor is anything that increases a person’s chance of developing a tumor. Although risk factors often influence the development of a tumor, most do not directly cause a tumor. Some people with several risk factors never develop a tumor, while others with no known risk factors do.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find some basic information about astrocytoma and the parts of the body it may affect. This is the first page of Cancer.Net’s Guide to Childhood Astrocytoma. Use the menu to see other pages. Think of that menu as a roadmap for this entire guide.

The brain and spinal column make up the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS controls all vital functions of the body, including thought, speech, and strength.

ON THIS PAGE: You will learn about the different types of treatments doctors use for children with a central nervous system (CNS) tumor. Use the menu to see other pages.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find a list of common tests, procedures, and scans that doctors use to find the cause of a medical problem. Use the menu to see other pages.

Doctors use many tests to find, or diagnose, a tumor in a child's central nervous system (CNS). They also do tests to learn if a tumor has spread to another part of the body from where it started. If a tumor has spread, it is called metastasis. Doctors may also do tests to learn which treatments could work best.

ON THIS PAGE: You will find out more about changes and medical problems that can be a sign of a childhood central nervous system (CNS) tumor. Use the menu to see other pages.