Review of the prognostic factors in medulloblastoma of children and adults

• Published in: Critical reviews in oncology/hematology Vol. 50; no. 2; pp. 121 - 128
• Main Authors: Brandes, Alba A., Paris, Myriam K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.05.2004; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebellar Neoplasms - diagnosis; Cerebellar Neoplasms - pathology; Cerebellar Neoplasms - therapy; Chemotherapy; Child; Hematologic and hematopoietic diseases; Humans; Medical sciences; Medulloblastoma; Medulloblastoma - diagnosis; Medulloblastoma - pathology; Medulloblastoma - therapy; Neoplasm Staging; Neurology; Prognosis; Prognostic factors; Radiotherapy; Recurrence; Review; Toxicity; Treatment; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Toxicity; Medulloblastoma; Adult; Review; Radiotherapy; Prognostic factors; Human; Prognosis; Hematology; Child; Bibliographic review
• ISSN: 1040-8428; 1879-0461
• DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2003.08.005

Medulloblastoma (MB) is rare in adults, accounting for 1% of all primary tumours of the central nervous system (CNS). Based on the assumption that the disease pattern in adults is similar to that in children, adults with medulloblastoma are treated using paediatric protocols. Thanks to progress made in recent years, long-term survival is now possible, with overall ranging from 50 to 60% at 5 years and 40 to 50% at 10 years. However, effective therapy may have devastating long-term side effects, including neuro-psychic and neuro-endocrine sequelae and cognitive dysfunction, especially in young adults. Great interest has been expressed in new biological and molecular prognostic factors, which, combined with clinical variables, may allow a more satisfactory stratification of patients.