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Treatment Option Overview
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There are different types of treatment for children with supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors and pineoblastoma.
Different types of treatment are available for children with supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors and pineoblastoma. Some treatments
are standard (the currently used treatment), and some are being tested in clinical trials. A treatment
clinical trial is a research study meant to help improve current treatments or
obtain information on new treatments for patients with cancer. When clinical trials show that
a new treatment is better than the “standard”
treatment, the new treatment may become the standard treatment.
Because cancer in children is rare, taking part in a clinical trial
should be considered. Clinical trials are taking place in many parts of the
country. Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the
NCI Web site. Choosing the most appropriate cancer treatment is a
decision that ideally involves the patient, family, and health care
team.
Children with supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors and pineoblastoma should have their treatment
planned by a team of doctors with expertise in treating childhood brain
tumors.
Your child’s treatment will be overseen by a pediatric oncologist, a doctor who specializes
in treating children with cancer. The pediatric oncologist may refer you to
other pediatric doctors who have experience and expertise in treating children
with brain tumors and who specialize
in certain areas of medicine. These may include the following
specialists:
Three types of standard treatment are used:
Surgery
Surgery is used to diagnose and treat childhood supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors and pineoblastoma as described in the General Information section of this summary.
Radiation therapy
Radiation therapy is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells. There are two types of radiation therapy. External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses drugs to stop the growth of cancer cells, either by killing the cells or by stopping the cells from dividing. When chemotherapy is taken by mouth or injected into a vein or muscle, the drugs enter the bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the body (systemic chemotherapy). When chemotherapy is placed directly in the spinal column, a body cavity such as the abdomen, or an organ, the drugs mainly affect cancer cells in those areas . The way the chemotherapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
Because radiation therapy to the brain can affect growth and brain development
in young children, clinical trials are studying ways of using chemotherapy to
delay or reduce the need for radiation therapy.
Other types of treatment are being tested in clinical
trials.
Information about ongoing clinical trials is available from the
NCI Web site.
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