Once the diagnosis has been made, what are the options for treatment of my childs tumor?
There continues to be a great deal of discussion among pediatric neurosurgeons throughout the world regarding the appropriate treatment for these tumors. The two most commonly used treatment options include complete excision of the tumor surgically, or partial removal followed by radiation therapy. There is no question that total removal of these tumors is perhaps the only way of guaranteeing their cure. Yet, because of the nature of the tumors themselves, total removal may sometimes result in complications that affect the quality of life of the child following surgery. For example, the frequently intense scarring in the brain next to these tumors may make their removal difficult without injury to the adjacent brain. Because the brain centers near the tumor typically control not only hormonal function but also the control of appetite and emotions, any of these functions could be adversely affected if these centers are injured during an attempt at total removal of the tumor. In addition
