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Treating Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors in Children

If your child has been diagnosed with a brain or spinal cord tumor, your child's treatment team will discuss the options with you. It’s important to weigh the benefits of each treatment option against the possible risks and side effects.

How are brain and spinal cord tumors treated?

The main treatments for children with brain and spinal cord tumors are:

Common treatment approaches

In many cases children will get some combination of these treatments. Treatment is based on the type of tumor and other factors. Doctors plan each child’s treatment individually to give them the best chance of a cure while limiting side effects as much as possible.

Who treats brain and spinal cord tumors in children?

Going through cancer treatment with a child often means meeting lots of specialists and learning about parts of the medical system you probably haven’t had contact with before. 

Children and teens with brain and spinal cord tumors and their families have special needs that can be met best by cancer centers for children and teens, working closely with the child’s primary care doctor. These centers offer the advantage of being treated by teams of specialists who know the differences between cancers in adults and those in children and teens, as well as the unique needs of younger people with cancer.

For childhood brain and spinal cord tumors, this team is often led by a pediatric neurosurgeon, a doctor who uses surgery to treat brain and nervous system tumors in children. Other doctors on the team may include:

  • Pediatric neurologist: a doctor who treats brain and nervous system diseases in children
  • Radiation oncologist: a doctor who uses radiation to treat cancer
  • Pediatric oncologist: a doctor who uses chemotherapy and other medicines to treat children’s cancers
  • Endocrinologist: a doctor who treats diseases in glands that secrete hormones

Many other health professionals may be involved in your child’s care as well, including physician assistants (PAs), nurse practitioners (NPs), nurses, psychologists, social workers, rehabilitation specialists, and other health professionals. 

Making treatment decisions

It’s important to discuss your child’s treatment options, including their goals and possible side effects, with the treatment team to help make the decision that’s the best fit for your child. You may feel that you need to decide quickly, but it’s important to give yourself time to absorb the information you have learned. It’s also very important to ask questions if there is anything you’re not sure about. 

If time allows, getting a second opinion from another doctor experienced with your child’s type of tumor is often a good idea. This can give you more information and help you feel more confident about the treatment plan you choose. If you aren’t sure where to go for a second opinion, ask your doctor for help.

Your child might also see a psychologist or rehabilitation specialist before treatment begins. For example, if the tumor is slow growing and your child’s condition is stable, they may be seen by a psychologist before treatment to assess any damage the tumor might have caused. Most of the work of these specialists takes place after treatment.

Thinking about taking part in a clinical trial

Today, most children and teens with cancer are treated at specialized children’s cancer centers. These centers offer the most up-to-date-treatment by conducting clinical trials (studies of promising new therapies). Children’s cancer centers often conduct many clinical trials at any one time, and in fact most children treated at these centers take part in a clinical trial as part of their treatment.

Clinical trials are one way to get state-of-the art cancer treatment. Sometimes they may be the only way to get access to newer treatments (although there is no guarantee that newer treatments will be better). They are also the best way for doctors to learn better methods to treat these cancers. Still, they might not be right for everyone.

If you would like to learn more about clinical trials that might be right for your child, start by asking the treatment team if your clinic or hospital conducts clinical trials.

Considering complementary and alternative methods

You may hear about alternative or complementary methods that your doctor hasn’t mentioned to treat your child's tumor or relieve symptoms. These methods can include vitamins, herbs, and special diets, or other methods such as acupuncture or massage, to name a few.

Complementary methods refer to treatments that are used along with your regular medical care. Alternative treatments are used instead of standard medical treatment. Although some of these methods might be helpful in relieving symptoms or helping people feel better, many have not been proven to work. Some might even be harmful.

Be sure to talk to your child's cancer care team about any method you are thinking about using. They can help you learn what is known (or not known) about the method, which can help you make an informed decision. 

Preparing for treatment

Before treatment, the doctors and other members of the team will help you, as a parent, understand the tests that will need to be done. The team’s social worker will also counsel you about the problems you and your child might have during and after treatments such as surgery, and might be able to help you find housing and financial aid if needed.

Help getting through cancer treatment

Your child's cancer care team will be your first source of information and support, but there are other resources for help when you need it. Hospital- or clinic-based support services can also be an important part of your care. These might include nursing or social work services, financial aid, nutritional advice, rehab, or spiritual help. For children and teens with cancer and their families, other specialists can be an important part of care as well. 

The American Cancer Society also has programs and services – including rides to treatment, lodging, and more – to help you get through treatment. Call our National Cancer Information Center at 1-800-227-2345 and speak with one of our trained specialists.

The treatment information given here is not official policy of the American Cancer Society and is not intended as medical advice to replace the expertise and judgment of your cancer care team. It is intended to help you and your family make informed decisions, together with your doctor. Your doctor may have reasons for suggesting a treatment plan different from these general treatment options. Don't hesitate to ask your cancer care team any questions you may have about your treatment options.

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