Volume 28, Issue 149, July 2024

Molecular insights and treatment approaches for a common childhood tumor – Medulloblastoma decoded: A review

Magdalena Iwan^1♦, Błażej Szymczuk¹, Dominik Trojanowski¹, Jakub Milczarek¹, Ksawery Adamiec¹, Joanna Smorońska-Rypel², Małgorzata Rodak², Magdalena Kajzar², Kamila Nitka³, Natalia Piątkowska⁴

¹Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poniatowskiego 15, 40-055 Katowice, Poland
²Bonifraters Medical Center Ltd., 87 Ks. Leopolda Markiefki Street, 40- 211 Katowice, Poland
³Medical Center in Łańcut Ltd., 5 Paderewski Street, 37-100 Łańcut, Poland
⁴Provincial Hospital in Poznań, 7/19 Juraszów Street, 60-479 Poznań, Poland

^♦Corresponding Author
Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Poniatowskiego 15, 40-055 Katowice, Poland

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Medulloblastoma is the most common tumor of the central nervous system in children. Advances in medicine have allowed for the identification of molecular subtypes of this tumor, which determine patient prognosis and further therapeutic approaches. Aim of the study: This review aims to provide an overview of medulloblastoma, which, due to its frequency, is a significant concern in the pediatric population. Non-specific symptoms can hinder diagnosis and even pose a threat to a child’s life, making awareness among parents and clinicians crucial. Summary of knowledge: Medulloblastoma is a central nervous system tumor characteristic of childhood, occurring more frequently in boys. Despite being classified as WHO grade IV malignancy, chances of survival are high if detected before metastasis occurs. Symptoms are non-specific and usually result from increased intracranial pressure or mass effect. There is a division of medulloblastoma based on molecular and histological types. The cornerstone of treatment is radical resection, with adjuvant therapies including radiotherapy and chemotherapy. New targeted therapy methods remain under investigation. Conclusion: The molecular diagnosis of medulloblastoma subtypes is important for predicting outcomes and choosing the right therapy. Therapeutic approaches based on surgical methods are satisfactory, with high survival rates. New methods of targeted molecular therapy are undergoing continuous research and offer hope for developing treatment methods for this tumor.

Keywords: Brain tumor, neurosurgery, molecular subtypes, pediatric cancer

Medical Science, 2024, 28, e69ms3378

PDF

DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi.v28i149.e69ms3378

Published: 03 July 2024