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Factors affecting survival of medulloblastoma in children: the changing concept of management

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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.

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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).

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Correspondence to Tai-Tong Wong or Yi-Wei Chen.

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Tai-Tong Wong, Yen-Lin Liu, Donald Ming-Tak Ho and Kai-Ping Chang contributed equally to this work.

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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

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2884-2

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