Biomaterial Database

Chemotherapy for medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumors of the posterior fossa. 1990

R J Packer

Department of Neurology, Children's National Medical Center, Washington, DC 20010.

Chemotherapy has only marginal efficacy in adult malignant brain tumors. In contrast, drug therapy is considerably more effective in medulloblastoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumors (MB/PNET) of the posterior fossa, the most common childhood primary central nervous system tumor. At the time of disease recurrence, a variety of different single agents and drug combinations result in tumor shrinkage and increased survival. The addition of chemotherapy to standard radiotherapy improves the rate and length of disease-free survival for those children with MB/PNET who have the most extensive tumors at diagnosis. It remains to be determined which drug or drug combinations are the most effective in MB/PNET, and which patients are most likely to benefit from chemotherapy. Chemotherapy may be useful to reduce or, in selected cases, obviate the need for radiotherapy and reduce treatment-related sequelae.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008527	Medulloblastoma	A malignant neoplasm that may be classified either as a glioma or as a primitive neuroectodermal tumor of childhood (see NEUROECTODERMAL TUMOR, PRIMITIVE). The tumor occurs most frequently in the first decade of life with the most typical location being the cerebellar vermis. Histologic features include a high degree of cellularity, frequent mitotic figures, and a tendency for the cells to organize into sheets or form rosettes. Medulloblastoma have a high propensity to spread throughout the craniospinal intradural axis. (From DeVita et al., Cancer: Principles and Practice of Oncology, 5th ed, pp2060-1)	Arachnoidal Cerebellar Sarcoma, Circumscribed,Medulloblastoma, Desmoplastic,Medullomyoblastoma,Sarcoma, Cerebellar, Circumscribed Arachnoidal,Medulloblastoma, Adult,Medulloblastoma, Childhood,Melanocytic Medulloblastoma,Adult Medulloblastoma,Adult Medulloblastomas,Childhood Medulloblastoma,Childhood Medulloblastomas,Desmoplastic Medulloblastoma,Desmoplastic Medulloblastomas,Medulloblastoma, Melanocytic,Medulloblastomas,Medulloblastomas, Adult,Medulloblastomas, Childhood,Medulloblastomas, Desmoplastic,Medulloblastomas, Melanocytic,Medullomyoblastomas,Melanocytic Medulloblastomas
D009364	Neoplasm Recurrence, Local	The local recurrence of a neoplasm following treatment. It arises from microscopic cells of the original neoplasm that have escaped therapeutic intervention and later become clinically visible at the original site.	Local Neoplasm Recurrence,Local Neoplasm Recurrences,Locoregional Neoplasm Recurrence,Neoplasm Recurrence, Locoregional,Neoplasm Recurrences, Local,Recurrence, Local Neoplasm,Recurrence, Locoregional Neoplasm,Recurrences, Local Neoplasm,Locoregional Neoplasm Recurrences,Neoplasm Recurrences, Locoregional,Recurrences, Locoregional Neoplasm
D009373	Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal	Neoplasms composed of primordial GERM CELLS of embryonic GONADS or of elements of the germ layers of the EMBRYO, MAMMALIAN. The concept does not refer to neoplasms located in the gonads or present in an embryo or FETUS.	Germ Cell Cancer,Germ Cell Tumor,Neoplasms, Embryonal and Mixed,Cancer, Embryonal,Cancer, Embryonal and Mixed,Embryonal Neoplasms,Germ Cell Neoplasms,Germ Cell and Embryonal Neoplasms,Germ Cell and Embryonic Neoplasms,Neoplasms, Embryonal,Neoplasms, Germ Cell,Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonic,Cancer, Germ Cell,Cancers, Embryonal,Cancers, Germ Cell,Embryonal Cancer,Embryonal Cancers,Embryonal Neoplasm,Germ Cell Cancers,Germ Cell Tumors,Neoplasm, Embryonal,Tumor, Germ Cell,Tumors, Germ Cell
D002528	Cerebellar Neoplasms	Primary or metastatic neoplasms of the CEREBELLUM. Tumors in this location frequently present with ATAXIA or signs of INTRACRANIAL HYPERTENSION due to obstruction of the fourth ventricle. Common primary cerebellar tumors include fibrillary ASTROCYTOMA and cerebellar HEMANGIOBLASTOMA. The cerebellum is a relatively common site for tumor metastases from the lung, breast, and other distant organs. (From Okazaki & Scheithauer, Atlas of Neuropathology, 1988, p86 and p141)	Benign Cerebellar Neoplasms,Cerebellar Cancer,Malignant Cerebellar Neoplasms,Cerebellar Neoplasms, Benign,Cerebellar Neoplasms, Malignant,Cerebellar Neoplasms, Primary,Cerebellar Tumors,Neoplasms, Cerebellar,Neoplasms, Cerebellar, Benign,Neoplasms, Cerebellar, Malignant,Neoplasms, Cerebellar, Primary,Primary Neoplasms, Cerebellum,Benign Cerebellar Neoplasm,Cancer, Cerebellar,Cerebellar Cancers,Cerebellar Neoplasm,Cerebellar Neoplasm, Benign,Cerebellar Neoplasm, Malignant,Cerebellar Neoplasm, Primary,Cerebellar Tumor,Cerebellum Primary Neoplasm,Cerebellum Primary Neoplasms,Malignant Cerebellar Neoplasm,Neoplasm, Benign Cerebellar,Neoplasm, Cerebellar,Neoplasm, Cerebellum Primary,Neoplasm, Malignant Cerebellar,Primary Cerebellar Neoplasm,Primary Cerebellar Neoplasms,Primary Neoplasm, Cerebellum,Tumor, Cerebellar
D002648	Child	A person 6 to 12 years of age. An individual 2 to 5 years old is CHILD, PRESCHOOL.	Children
D002675	Child, Preschool	A child between the ages of 2 and 5.	Children, Preschool,Preschool Child,Preschool Children
D003131	Combined Modality Therapy	The treatment of a disease or condition by several different means simultaneously or sequentially. Chemoimmunotherapy, RADIOIMMUNOTHERAPY, chemoradiotherapy, cryochemotherapy, and SALVAGE THERAPY are seen most frequently, but their combinations with each other and surgery are also used.	Multimodal Treatment,Therapy, Combined Modality,Combined Modality Therapies,Modality Therapies, Combined,Modality Therapy, Combined,Multimodal Treatments,Therapies, Combined Modality,Treatment, Multimodal,Treatments, Multimodal
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000970	Antineoplastic Agents	Substances that inhibit or prevent the proliferation of NEOPLASMS.	Anticancer Agent,Antineoplastic,Antineoplastic Agent,Antineoplastic Drug,Antitumor Agent,Antitumor Drug,Cancer Chemotherapy Agent,Cancer Chemotherapy Drug,Anticancer Agents,Antineoplastic Drugs,Antineoplastics,Antitumor Agents,Antitumor Drugs,Cancer Chemotherapy Agents,Cancer Chemotherapy Drugs,Chemotherapeutic Anticancer Agents,Chemotherapeutic Anticancer Drug,Agent, Anticancer,Agent, Antineoplastic,Agent, Antitumor,Agent, Cancer Chemotherapy,Agents, Anticancer,Agents, Antineoplastic,Agents, Antitumor,Agents, Cancer Chemotherapy,Agents, Chemotherapeutic Anticancer,Chemotherapy Agent, Cancer,Chemotherapy Agents, Cancer,Chemotherapy Drug, Cancer,Chemotherapy Drugs, Cancer,Drug, Antineoplastic,Drug, Antitumor,Drug, Cancer Chemotherapy,Drug, Chemotherapeutic Anticancer,Drugs, Antineoplastic,Drugs, Antitumor,Drugs, Cancer Chemotherapy