Abstract
Medulloblastoma (MB) is a type of malignant tumor arising only in the cerebellum that was first defined by Cushing and Bailey in 1920s. In this review paper, we trace the evolution of risk stratification and the correlated changing concept of management in the past years. Outcome analysis of the hospital series of the Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Cheng Hsin General Hospital, and Taipei Medical University Hospital was performed to correlate prognostic indicators with reported studies. The purpose is to provide clues for age-specific and risk-adjusted optimal, effective, but beneficial and protective treatment strategies of these tumors in children.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kunschner LJ (2002) Harvey Cushing and medulloblastoma. Arch Neurol 59(4):6
Bailey P, Cushing H (1925) Meullobalstoma cerebella, common type of mid cerebellar glioma of childhood. Arch Neurol Psychiatr 14:192–224
Bailey P (1930) Further notes on the cerebellar medulloblastoma: the effect of roentgen radiation. Am J Pathol 6:125–136
Brown RC, Gunderson L, Plenk HP (1977) Medulloblastoma: a review of the LDS hospital experience. Cancer 40:56–60
Landberg TG, Lingren ML, Cavaln-Stahl EK, Svahn-Tapper GO, Sundbarg G, Garwicz S, Lagergren JA, Gunnesson VL, Brun AE, Cronqvist SE (1980) Improvements in the radiotherapy of medulloblastoma 1946–1975. Cancer 45:670–678
Tomita T, McLone DG (1986) Medullolastoma in childhood: results of radical resection and low-dosage neuraxis radiation therapy. J Neurosurg 64:238–242
Hughes EN, Shillito J, Sallan SE, Loeffler JS (1988) Medulloblastoma at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy between 1968 and 1984. The influence of radiation dose on the patterns of failure and survival. Cancer 61:1992–1998
Chang CH (1969) An operative staging system and a megavoltage radiotherapeutic technique for cerebellar medulloblastomas. Radiology 93(6):1351–1359
Harisiadis L, Chang CH (1977) Medulloblastoma in children: a correlation between staging and results of treatment. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 2:833–841
Zeltzer PM, Boyett JM, Finlay JL, Albright AL, Rorke LB, Milstein JM, Allen JC, Stevens KR, Stanley P, Li H, Wisoff JH, Geyer JR, McGuire-Cullen P, Susan SB, Packer RJ (1999) Metastasis stage, adjuvant treatment, and residual tumor are prognostic factors for medulloblastoma in children: conclusions from the Children’s Cancer Group 921 randomized phase III study. J Clin Oncol 17(3):832–845
Pakcer RJ, Rood BR, McDonald TJ (2003) Medulloblastoma: present concepts of stratification into risk groups. Pediatr Neurosurg 39:60–67
Dufour C, Beaugrand A, Pizer B, Micheli J, Aubelle MS, Fourcade A, Couanet D, Laplanche A, Kalifa C, Grill J (2012) Metastatic medulloblastoma in childhood: Chang’s classification revisited. Int J Surg Oncol, Article ID 245385
Gajjar A, Sanford RA, Bhargava R, Heideman R, Walter A, Li Y, Langston JW, Jenkins JJ, Muhlbauer M, Boyett J, Kun LE (1996) Medulloblastoma with brain stem involvement: the impact of gross total resection on outcome. Pediatr Neurosurg 25:182–187
Louis DN, Ohgaki H, Wiestler OD, Cavenee WK (2007) The 2007 WHO classification of tumors of the central nervous system. Acta Neuropathol 114:97–109
Brandes AA, Paris MK (2004) Review of the prognostic factors in medulloblastoma of children and adults. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 50:121–128
Eberhart CG, Kepner JL, Goldthwaite PT, Lun LE, Duffner PK, Friedman HS, Strother DR, Burger PC (2002) Histopathologic grading of medulloblastomas. Cancer 94(2):552–560
Rutkowski S, von Hoff K, Emser A, Zwiener I, Pietsch T, Figarellar-Branger F, Giangasepro F, Ellison DW, Garre ML, Biassoni V, Grundy RG, Finlay JL, Dhall G, Raquin MA, Grill J (2010) Survival and prognostic factors of early childhood medulloblastoma: an international meta-analysis. J Clin Oncol 28(33):4961–4968
Northcott PA, Korshunov A, Witt H, Hielscher T, Eberhart CG, Mack S, Bouffet E, Clifford SC, Hawkins CE, French P, Rutka JT, Pfister S, Taylor MD (2011) Medulloblastoma comprises four distinct molecular variants. J Clin Oncol 29(11):1408–1414
Packer RJ, Boyett JM, Janss AJ, Stavrou T, Kun L, Wisoff J, Russo C, Geyer R, Phillips P, Kieran M, Greenberg M, Goldman S, Hyder D, Heideman R, Jones-Wallace D, August GPm Smith SH, Moshang T (2001) Growth hormone replacement therapy in children with medulloblastoma: use and effect on tumor control. J Clin Oncol 19:480–487
Ellison DW, Kocak M, Dalton J, Megahed H, Lusher ME, Ryan SL, Zhao W (2011) Definition of disease-risk stratification groups in childhood medulloblastoma using combined clinical, pathological, and molecular variables. J Clin Oncol 29(11):1400–1407
Ellison DW, Dalton J, Kocak M, Nicholson SL, Fraga C, Neale G, Kenney AM, Brat DJ, Perry A, Yong WH, Taylor RE, Bailey S, Clifford SC, Gilbertson RJ (2011) Medullobalstoma: clinicopathological correlates of SHH, WNT, and non-SHH/WNT molecular subgroup. Acta Neuropathol 121:381–396
Evans AE, Jenkin ET, Sposto R, Ortega JA, Wilson CB, Wara W, Ertel IJ, Kramer S, Chang CH, Leikin SL, Hammond D (1990) The treatment of medulloblastoma: results of a prospective randomized trial of radiation therapy with and without CCNU, vincristine, and prednisone. J Neurosurg 72:575–582
Packer JR, Sutton LN, Goldwein JW, Perilongo G, Bunin G, Ryan J, Cohen BH, D’Angio G, Kramer ED, Zimmerman RA, Rorke LB, Evans AE, Schut L (1991) Improved survival with the sue of adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of medulloblastoma. J Neursurg 74:433–440
Thomas PR, Deutsch M, Kepner JL JM, Krischer J, Patricia R, Albright L, Je Boyett JM, Krischer J, Aronin P, Albright L, Allen JC, Packer RJ, Linggood R, Mulhern R, Stehbens JA, Langston J, Stanley P, Duffner P, Rorke L, Cherlow J, Friedman HS, Jonathan L, Vietti TJ, Kun LE (2000) Low-stage medulloblastoma: final analysis of trial comparing standard-dose with reduced-dose neuraxis irradiation. J Clin Oncol 18(16):3004–3011
Bailey CC, Gnekow A, Wellek S, Jones M, Round C, Brown J, Phillips A, Neidhardt MK (1995) Prospective randomized trial of chemotherapy given before radiotherapy in childhood medulloblastomas. International Society of Paediatric Oncology (SIOP) and the German Society of Paediatric Oncology (GPO): Slop II. Med Pediatr Oncol 25:166–178
Packer RJ, Gajjar A, Vezima G, Rorke-Adams L, Burger PC, Robertson PL, Bayer L, LaFond D, Donahue BR, Marymont MH, Muraszko K, Langston J, Sposto R (2006) Phase III study of craniospinal radiation therapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy for newly diagnosed average-risk medulloblastoma. J Clin Oncol 24(25):4202–4208
Kanamori M, Kumabe T, Saito R, Yamashita Y, Sonoda Y, Tominaga T (2010) The safety of combination chemotherapy with ifosfamide, cisplatin, and etoposide (ICE): single-institution retrospective review of 108 cases. No Shinkei Geka 38:997–1005
Sawamura Y, Ikeda J, Ishii N, Kato T, Tada M, Abe H, Shirato H (1996) Combined irradiation and chemotherapy using ifosfamide, cisplatin, and etoposide for children with medulloblastoma/posterior fossa primitive neuroectodermal tumor—results of a pilot study. Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo) 36:632–638
Yasuda K, Taguchi H, Sawamura Y, Ikeda J, Aoyama H, Fujieda K, Ishii N, Kashiwamura M, Iwasaki Y, Shirato H (2008) Low-dose craniospinal irradiation and ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide for non-metastatic embryonal tumors in the central nervous system. Jpn J Clin Oncol 38:486–492
Saito R, Kumabe T, Sonoda Y, Kanamori M, Yamashita Y, Watanabe M, Tominaga T (2011) Combination chemotherapy with ifosfamide, cisplatin, and etoposide for medulloblastoma: single-institute experience and differences in efficacy for subgroups of medulloblastoma. Childs Nerv Syst 27:1399–1406
Gajjar A, Chintagumpala M, Ashley D, Kellie S, Kun LE, Merchant TE, Woo S, Wheeler G, Ahern V, Krasin MJ, Fouladi M, Broniscer A, Krance R, Hale GA, Stewart CF, Dauser R, Sanford RA, Fuller C, Lau C, Boyett JM, Wallace D, Gilbertson RJ (2006) Risk-adapted craniospinal radiotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and stem-cell rescue in children with newly diagnosed medulloblastoma (St Jude Medulloblastoma-96): long-term results from a prospective, multicentre trial. Lancet Oncol 7:813–820
Laughton SJ, Merchant TE, Sklar CA, Kun LE, Fouladi M, Broniscer A, Morris EB, Sanders RP, Krasin MJ, Shelso J, Xiong Z, Wallace D, Gajjar A (2008) Endocrine outcomes for children with embryonal brain tumors after risk-adapted craniospinal and conformal primary-site irradiation and high-dose chemotherapy with stem-cell rescue on the SJMB-96 trial. J Clin Oncol 26:1112–1118
DeWire M, Green DM, Sklar CA, Merchant TE, Wallace D, Lin T, Vern-Gross T, Kun LE, Krasin MJ, Boyett JM, Wright KD, Wetmore C, Broniscer A, Gajjar A (2014) Pubertal development and primary ovarian insufficiency in female survivors of embryonal brain tumors following risk-adapted craniospinal irradiation and adjuvant chemotherapy. Pediatr Blood Cancer
Gurney JG, Bass JK, Onar-Thomas A, Huang J, Chintagumpala M, Bouffet E, Hassall T, Gururangan S, Heath JA, Kellie S, Cohn R, Fisher MJ, Panandiker AP, Merchant TE, Srinivasan A, Wetmore C, Qaddoumi I, Stewart CF, Armstrong GT, Broniscer A, Gajjar A (2014) Evaluation of amifostine for protection against cisplatin-induced serious hearing loss in children treated for average-risk or high-risk medulloblastoma. Neuro-Oncology 16:848–855
Palmer SL, Armstrong C, Onar-Thomas A, Wu S, Wallace D, Bonner MJ, Schreiber J, Swain M, Chapieski L, Mabbott D, Knight S, Boyle R, Gajjar A (2013) Processing speed, attention, and working memory after treatment for medulloblastoma: an international, prospective, and longitudinal study. J Clin Oncol 31:3494–3500
McManamy CS, Pears J, Weston CL, Hanzely Z, Ironside JW, Taylor RE, Grundy RG, Clifford SC (2007) Nodule formation and desmoplasia in medulloblastomas—defining the nodular/desmoplastic variant and its biological behavior. Brain Pathol 17:151–164
Giangaspero F, Ferilongo G, Fondelli MP, Brisigotti M, Carollo C, Bumelli R, Burger P, Garre ML (1999) Medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity: a variant with favorable prognosis. J Neursurg 91(6):971–977
Grill J, Sainte-Rose C, Jouvet A et al (2005) Treatment of medulloblastoma with postoperative chemotherapy alone: an SFOP prospective trial in young children. Lancet Oncol 6:573–580
Rutkowski S, Bode U, Deinlein F, Ottensmeier H, Warmuth-Metz M, Soerensen N, Graf N, Emser A, Pietsch T, Wolff JE, Kortmann RD, Kuehl J (2005) Treatment of early childhood medulloblastoma by postoperative chemotherapy alone. N Engl J Med 352(10):978–986
Rutkowski S, Gerber NU, von Hoff K, Gnekow A, Bode U, Graf N, Berthold F, Henze G, Wolff JEA, Warmuth-Metz M, Soerensen N, Emser A, Ottensmeier H, Deinlein F, Schlegel PG, Kortmann RD, Pietsch T, Kuehl J (2009) Treatment of early childhood medulloblastoma by postoperative chemotherapy and deferred radiotherapy. Neuro-Oncology 11(2):201–210
Garre ML, Massimino M, Cefalo G et al (2003) High risk malignant CNS tumor in infants: standard vs myeloablative chemotherapy: the experience of the Italian cooperative study for children <3 years of age. Neuro-Oncology 1:40
Chi SN, Gardner SL, Levy AS et al (2004) Feasibility and response to induction chemotherapy intensified with high-dose methotrexate for young children with newly diagnosed high-risk disseminated medulloblastoma. J Clin Oncol 22:4881–4887
Grundy RG, Wilne SH, Robinson KJ et al (2010) Primary postoperative chemotherapy without radiotherapy for treatment of brain tumours other than ependymoma in children under 3 years: results of the first UKCCSG/SIOP CNS 9204 trial. Eur J Cancer 46:120–133
Ostrom QT, de Blank PM, Kruchko C, Petersen CM, Liao P, Finlay JL, Stearns DS, Wolff JE, Wolinsky Y, Letterio JJ, Barnholtz-Sloan JS (2015) Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation Infant and Childhood Primary Brain and Central Nervous System Tumors Diagnosed in the United States in 2007–2011. Neuro-Oncology 16(Suppl 10):x1–x36
Peris-Bonet R, Martinez-Garcia C, Lacour B, Petrovich S, Giner-Ripoll B, Navajas A, Steliarova-Foucher E (2006) Childhood central nervous system tumours—incidence and survival in Europe (1978–1997): report from Automated Childhood Cancer Information System project. Eur J Cancer 42:2064–2080
Makino K, Nakamura H, Yano S, Kuratsu J, Kumamoto Brain Tumor G (2010) Population-based epidemiological study of primary intracranial tumors in childhood. Childs Nerv Syst 26:1029–1034
Liu YL, Lo WC, Chiang CJ, Yang YW, Lu MY, Hsu WM, Ho WL, Li MJ, Miser JS, Lin DT, Lai MS (2015) Incidence of cancer in children aged 0–14 years in Taiwan, 1996–2010. Cancer Epidemiol 39:21–28
Acknowledgments
We thank Ms. Ching-Wen Tsai and Dr. Yen-Kuang Lin at the Biostatistics Center, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan for their contribution to the data analysis of this work.
Source of funding
This work was supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology, Taiwan (grant number NSC102-2314-B-038-060-MY3); Health and Welfare Surcharge of Tobacco Products, Taiwan (grant number MOHW104-TDU-B-212-124-001); and Taipei Medical University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan (grant number 104TMU-TMUH-11).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding authors
Additional information
Tai-Tong Wong, Yen-Lin Liu, Donald Ming-Tak Ho and Kai-Ping Chang contributed equally to this work.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wong, TT., Liu, YL., Ho, D.MT. et al. Factors affecting survival of medulloblastoma in children: the changing concept of management. Childs Nerv Syst 31, 1687–1698 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2884-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2884-2