Brain Stem Tumor

According to the National Cancer Institute, the brain stem is the area where the brain and spinal cord are connected. Brain stem tumors or brain stem gliomas are located in the midbrain (upper brain stem), pons (middle brain stem), or medulla (lower brain stem).

• Human Brain

Facts

• The American Brain Tumor Association states that brain stem gliomas most commonly affect children between ages 5 and 10 years old, but can also be found in adults between 30 and 40 years of age.

Symptoms

• Symptoms, depending on the location of the tumor, can include double vision, weakness, swallowing difficulty, poor coordination, loss/changes in sensation or hoarseness.

Diagnosis

• A diagnosis of brain stem glioma is usually based on MRI scan features. Most brain stem tumors are rarely biopsy proven because of the high risk when performing a surgical procedure in the brain stem area, according to the American Brain Tumor Association.

Treatment

• Treatment options for brain stem gliomas can include radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgery or cerebrospinal fluid diversion (drainage of fluid from the brain and spinal cord).

Prognosis

• In medullary and midbrain gliomas, the long-term survival rate ranges from 65 to 90 percent. In pons (pontine gliomas), symptoms can improve after six weeks of treatment, but recurrence after six to nine months can cause unlikely survival beyond 12 to 14 months, as stated by the St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital.