title: Advances in biology and treatment of childhood brain tumors.
abstract: Childhood brain tumors are collectively the most common solid neoplasm and the leading cause of cancer-related death in children. They are a diverse group of diseases and outcome is extremely variable. Current treatment is dependent on histology, location, and in some instances, patient age. Advances in treatment have led to improved survival for some patients, but for many the outcome remains dismal despite aggressive treatment. A growing body of work is aimed at improving the outcome for children with brain tumors not only through clinical trials, but also by focusing on the biologic underpinning of these diseases that have been poorly understood.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatrics and Neurology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Children's Hospital of Alabama, 1600 7th Ave. South, Suite 516 ACC, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA. Areddy@peds.uab.edu
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Reddy
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001925:Brain Damage, Chronic / Q000209:etiology; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D001933:Brain Stem; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D003399:Craniotomy; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D018237:Germinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008527:Medulloblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D017599:Neuroectodermal Tumors / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D010166:Palliative Care; D016634:Radiosurgery; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D015173:Supratentorial Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome