How is medulloblastoma treated?
Surgery is typically the first component of therapy, although it is no longer acceptable as the only component. Long-term results of medulloblastoma patients treated as far back as the 1930’s have taught us that surgery alone does not cure this tumor. It is, however, very important to perform as maximal and complete a surgery as possible, with the goal being removal of all visible tumor while sparing as much surrounding brain tissue as possible. This is then confirmed after surgery with a post-operative MRI scan of the brain to look for any leftover, or residual tumor. Based on what the MRI shows, the surgery is classified as one of the following: • Gross total resection = No evidence of any tumor left behind either at time of surgery or on post-surgery MRI • Near-total resection = More than 90% of original tumor removed by surgery • Subtotal resection = Anywhere from 51-90% of original tumor removed by surgery • Partial resection = Anywhere from 10-50% of original tumor removed by sur
