Medulloblastoma is one of the most common childhood brain tumors and generally affects children between three to eight years of age. It develops in the cerebellum (see picture) an area responsible for procedural memories, co-ordination of complex movements and maintenance of posture, and spreads to other parts of the brain. This tumor leads to Cerebellar dysfunction which compromises the child’s ambulation (ability to walk around) and truncal ataxia (coordinated voluntary movement). Other symptoms include problems with balancing since the cerebellum is the balance centre of the brain and facial weaknesses along with swallowing difficulties which arise due to the fact that the size of the tumor creates pressure and affects the nerves that control these functions. These symptoms worsen with time and can become fatal if the tumor is not extracted. Unfortunately, the quality of the patient’s life might be hindered with the extraction of the tumor as the numerous amount of radiation therapy needed can cause a loss of some normal brain tissue. Hence, proper intellectual function and the function of growth hormones may be compromised.
This tumor occurs when a problem arises in brain cells making them grow and multiply in at an uncontrollable rate, resulting in the formation of a lump. Although the exact causes of Medulloblastoma are unknown, Canadian scientists at the Hospital of SickKids have made a recent break through which has enabled us to get one step closer to unearthing these causes. Researchers have found a family of eight genes that are mutated in those who have Medulloblastoma. Dr. Michael Taylor, a SickKids neurosurgeon believes that “this family of eight genes is responsible for telling the cells when to grow up. When these genes are mutated the particular cell in which the mutation has arose doesn’t stop growing, it keeps going,” (The Vancouver Sun, 2009). After analyzing over two hundred cases, scientists have concluded that these eight mutated genes belong to a family which is responsible for turning off genes that promote growth as the brain matures. Brain cells that function normally can produce a protein in the gene that makes the DNA tighten which results in unreadable information, causing the cell to cease growing. This however does not occur in the brains of those suffering from Medulloblastoma. There are still many years before this preliminary research can be clinically applied but it is hoped that this research will one day lead to better treatment for Medulloblastoma patients
Student Number: s4206092
Link to Article: http://www.vancouversun.com/Health/Canadian+discovery+points+better+treatment+childhood+brain+cancer/1368292/story.html
For more Information Visit:
http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Cancertype/Brain/Typesofbraintumour/Medulloblastoma
