Archive for brain tumor
Walter’s world: ‘Warrior’ toddler doesn’t let a brain tumor stop him
When Walter Merck attempts an obstacle course at his physical therapy appointment, “he just does what he wants,” laughs his mother, Amber. “It’s Walter’s world; we just live in it.” Like many 2-year-olds, Walter can be stubborn — but in his case, it may be a stubbornness born of necessity. Since infancy, he’s been overcoming ... Read More about Walter’s world: ‘Warrior’ toddler doesn’t let a brain tumor stop him
Research opens a window into understanding deadly brain tumors
Formerly known as diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas, diffuse midline gliomas (DMGs) are highly aggressive tumors found in the midline of the brain. Their prognosis is very poor, in part because they don’t respond well to treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation. Now, research by Mariella Filbin, MD, PhD, and others in the Brain Tumor Center ... Read More about Research opens a window into understanding deadly brain tumors
Preventing ‘chemo brain’ with antioxidants targeting the spinal fluid
Up to three-quarters of patients receiving cancer chemotherapy suffer from “chemo brain” — a side effect that makes it harder to remember things, maintain attention, and learn new information. When it strikes children, whose brains are still developing, effects are sometimes long lasting, affecting their schoolwork and self-esteem. “One of the most distressing potential side ... Read More about Preventing ‘chemo brain’ with antioxidants targeting the spinal fluid
Pinpointing Karlijn’s seizures: Neurosurgery helps teen get back to her life
Karlijn Kuiper was visiting her home country of the Netherlands a few years ago when the trouble began. At first, her family noticed she would zone out. “She had these strange spells where she would just stare,” remembers her mother, Marieke. At first, it didn’t occur to Karlijn’s family that they could be seizures. Like ... Read More about Pinpointing Karlijn’s seizures: Neurosurgery helps teen get back to her life
Diving into the dark side of ependymoma
Mariella Filbin, MD, PhD, a neuro-oncologist at Dana-Farber/Boston Children’s Cancer and Blood Disorders Center, is driven by a desire to find new therapies for some of the hardest-to-treat pediatric brain tumors. At the core of her work is an effort to uncover the events that shape tumor development. Key takeaways:· Aggressive ependymoma tumors are stuck ... Read More about Diving into the dark side of ependymoma
Guidance for assessing treatment response in pediatric brain tumors
Assessing patients’ response to cancer therapy can be challenging, especially in neuro-oncology. Generally, we assess treatment response by a change in tumor size on MRI scan. However, with brain tumors, changes on MRI scan can be difficult to interpret. A decrease in tumor size may indicate treatment is having an effect; however, a drug can ... Read More about Guidance for assessing treatment response in pediatric brain tumors
I never thought this would happen to our son
On June 16, 2019, our 4-year-old son, Evan, fell off a jungle gym at daycare. At first, his daycare provider thought he was fine. He got right up and seemed to recover. She called me and we agreed to watch him to see if there were any changes. A couple hours later, Evan started throwing ... Read More about I never thought this would happen to our son
Gliomatosis cerebri: ‘As long as you keep going, you still have hope’
Anna Arabia, the only child of Kathy and Joe Arabia of North Adams, Massachusetts, was 13 when she was diagnosed with gliomatosis cerebri, a rare, rapidly-growing brain cancer. Unlike other tumors, gliomatosis cerebri does not form into lumps; instead it is threadlike, invading multiple lobes of the brain, making it impossible to remove surgically. Anna ... Read More about Gliomatosis cerebri: ‘As long as you keep going, you still have hope’
Going into science: Women scientists at Boston Children’s offer advice to girls
In honor of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science (February 11), we invited women scientists at all stages of their careers at Boston Children’s Hospital to share their scientific agendas. Here is some of what they had to say. The scientists also offered their advice for girls interested in entering the field. ... Read More about Going into science: Women scientists at Boston Children’s offer advice to girls
New insights on medulloblastoma from single-cell sequencing
Medulloblastoma, a malignant tumor in the cerebellum, is one of the most common malignant brain cancers in children. Survival rates range from 20 to 90 percent, depending on the genetic subtype. There are at least four: WNT and Sonic Hedgehog (named for the signaling pathways that drive them), Group 3, and Group 4. Group 3 ... Read More about New insights on medulloblastoma from single-cell sequencing