Info Freako
To avoid thinking about tomorrow's operation, let's look at UK treatment options. From what we've heard from the various consultants, there seems to be a standard treatment for ependymomas in children. It goes like this:
Thanks to those that have commented (bit of a surprise). I am keen to know of other chemo or other treatments used elsewhere.
- Surgery (complete resection is seen as best route to a cure, anything less brings the already low odds tumbling down)
- Chemotherapy (baby brain protocol - a mix of carboplatin, cysplatin, vincristin and methatrexate) to get the child to age 3 years plus but ependymomas are not seen as particularly responsive to to chemo
- Radiotherapy (conventional)
- Errr...that's it
Thanks to those that have commented (bit of a surprise). I am keen to know of other chemo or other treatments used elsewhere.
posted by Ctelblog at 5:35 AM
3 Comments:
I just want you to know that you and your family will be on my prayers. Love the pictures the little one took! Good luck with everything
God Bless You
Amy
www.christianshowers.blogspot.com
(anaplastic ependy)
Our treatment went, or has gone, like this: surgery (complete resection), chemo to get him to his first birthday, another surgery (a cyst was removed and then the re-grown tumor under it was resected entirely again), and then 6 wks of daily carefully directed radiation (which was,mercifully, much easier on him and us than chemo had been).
Three is the magic age where radiation is more commonly practiced, but the newer 3-D imaging for radiation makes much more carefully targeted radiation fruitful and less dangerous.
Our radiation onc told us that Gamma knife could be an option if a recurrance made surgery necessary again. At the same time, our regular oncologists thought it too risky to wait and let that happen as recurrences are likely to involve the spine or twisty bits of nerve.
I know almost no one else in the country does radiation on kids under three. St. Jude's and Children's in Dallas does, and I don't know how many else. The thing is, radiation technology has changed so much in the last 10 years that there just doesn't seem to be a ton of data out there for docs to rely on.
As your son's tumor appears to be, Thomas's tumor was in the 4th ventricle (pushing on nerves for swallowing, hearing, etc.) - so cognitive funtion has not been affected by the radiation.
They told us balance could be affected, but I haven't seen evidence of that. In fact, Thomas went to the park to climb around after he woke up post-radiation every morning.
Blessings, blessings, again.
(note: I'm in the States, I guess you know)
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