Treatment of diffuse pontine gliomasTTreatment of diffuse pontine gliomasTreatment of diffuse pontine gliomasEnglishNeurology;OncologyChild (0-12 years);Teen (13-18 years)BrainNervous systemDrug treatment;Non-drug treatmentAdult (19+)NA2009-07-10T04:00:00ZEric Bouffet, MD, FRCPCUte Bartels, MD10.700000000000046.0000000000000305.000000000000Flat ContentHealth A-Z<p>An in-depth discussion of different treatment possibilities for a child with a diffuse pontine glioma and expected outcomes.<br></p><p>Diffuse pontine glioma are treated with radiation therapy, which are high-energy X-rays, gamma rays, or electrons that destroy tumour cells. This treatment can reduce symptoms significantly, but there may be some permanent damage caused by the tumour which can’t be helped.</p><h2>Key points</h2> <ul><li>Diffuse pontine gliomas are treated with radiation therapy.</li> <li>Radiation therapy can significantly reduce symptoms but permanent damage from the tumour may not be repaired.</li> <li>Surgery is too damaging to this part of the brain, and there is no evidence that chemotherapy improves survival.</li> <li>These tumours are difficult to treat and as a result, the outcome is poor.</li></ul>
Traitement des gliomes infiltrants du tronc cérébralTTraitement des gliomes infiltrants du tronc cérébralTreatment of diffuse pontine gliomasFrenchNeurology;OncologyChild (0-12 years);Teen (13-18 years)BrainNervous systemDrug treatment;Non-drug treatmentAdult (19+)NA2009-07-10T04:00:00ZEric Bouffet, MD, FRCPCUte Bartels, MD10.000000000000056.000000000000084.0000000000000Flat ContentHealth A-Z<p>Discussion approfondie sur les possibilités de traitement pour un enfant atteint d’un gliome infiltrants du tronc cérébral.<br></p><p>On traite ces tumeurs par la radiothérapie, qui s’entend de radiographies à grande énergie, de rayons gamma ou d’électrons qui détruisent les cellules tumorales. Ce traitement peut aider à réduire les symptômes de façon importante, mais la tumeur pourrait causer des dommages permanents pour lesquels on ne peut rien faire.</p><h2>À retenir</h2> <ul><li>Les gliomes infiltrants du tronc cérébral sont traités par radiothérapie.</li> <li>La radiothérapie peut atténuer de façon significative les symptômes, mais les dommages permanents causés par la tumeur pourraient ne pas être réversibles.</li> <li>L’intervention chirurgicale crée trop de dommages à cette région de l’encéphale et l’efficacité de la chimiothérapie demeure incertaine.</li> <li>En raison de la difficulté du traitement, les résultats obtenus avec ces tumeurs sont décevants.</li></ul>

 

 

 

 

Treatment of diffuse pontine gliomas1360.00000000000Treatment of diffuse pontine gliomasTreatment of diffuse pontine gliomasTEnglishNeurology;OncologyChild (0-12 years);Teen (13-18 years)BrainNervous systemDrug treatment;Non-drug treatmentAdult (19+)NA2009-07-10T04:00:00ZEric Bouffet, MD, FRCPCUte Bartels, MD10.700000000000046.0000000000000305.000000000000Flat ContentHealth A-Z<p>An in-depth discussion of different treatment possibilities for a child with a diffuse pontine glioma and expected outcomes.<br></p><p>Diffuse pontine glioma are treated with radiation therapy, which are high-energy X-rays, gamma rays, or electrons that destroy tumour cells. This treatment can reduce symptoms significantly, but there may be some permanent damage caused by the tumour which can’t be helped.</p><h2>Key points</h2> <ul><li>Diffuse pontine gliomas are treated with radiation therapy.</li> <li>Radiation therapy can significantly reduce symptoms but permanent damage from the tumour may not be repaired.</li> <li>Surgery is too damaging to this part of the brain, and there is no evidence that chemotherapy improves survival.</li> <li>These tumours are difficult to treat and as a result, the outcome is poor.</li></ul><p>Steroids, another type of drug, are often given to improve some of the symptoms of gliomas. Surgery is not part of the standard treatment because it is too damaging to this part of the brain. The effectiveness of chemotherapy is still uncertain. Although many trials have been done using chemotherapy, there is no evidence that it improves survival. </p><p>There are a number of other types of treatment being considered, including antibody therapy, which is directed against the tumour cells. </p><h2>What is the outcome for a child with a diffuse pontine glioma?</h2><p>Because they are difficult to treat, the outcome for brainstem gliomas is poor. After diagnosis, the survival time is on average nine to 12 months. To improve the outcome, doctors have tried giving higher amounts of radiation, or using chemotherapy medicines to kill the tumour cells. Research is underway to achieve better results. When the tumour recurs, the focus of treatment is on managing symptoms to make sure the child is as comfortable as possible. </p><p>For more information please see the following pages:</p><ul><li> <a href="/Article?contentid=1311&language=English">Diffuse Pontine Gliomas </a></li><li> <a href="/Article?contentid=1325&language=English">Diagnosis of Diffuse Pontine Gliomas </a></li></ul>Treatment of diffuse pontine gliomasFalse