Pediatric CNS tumors: current treatment and future directions

Abstract

Pediatric CNS tumors are the most common solid tumor of childhood and are the leading cause of cancer-related death in this age group. Improving prognosis is not the only challenge facing physicians managing these young patients as it is vital to consider the quality of survival. Current management strategies rely on surgery, radiotherapy and conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy, and although ongoing clinical trials continue to refine these treatments, newer approaches are required. This article will discuss current treatment standards for the most common pediatric CNS tumors: astrocytomas (low- and high-grade glioma), ependymoma and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (medulloblastoma), as well as future biological-based novel therapies.

Keywords::

• astrocytoma
• chemotherapy
• child
• ependymoma
• glioma
• infant
• medulloblastoma
• monoclonal antibody
• radiotherapy
• tyrosine kinase

Conflict of interest

Dr Hargrave has worked as a consultant for both Schering-Plough and Genentech.