Medulloblastoma in children. Clinical manifestations, diagnostics, treatment, the unsolved prolems

In the present literature review we consider epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostics and treatment of medulloblastoma in children. The special attention in this review is paid to postoperative radiation therapy in a combination with chemotherapy and also to treatment of medulloblastoma in children of early age. The complications of chemotherapy and radiation therapy of medulloblastoma are considered. The data of the literature demonstrate rather high probability of achievement of permanent remission in patients with the localized tumor, but in metastatic disease the results of treatment are worse. Thus, in the high risk group the improvement of radio- and chemotherapy techniques is necessary with possible revision of treatment approaches to the possible zones of relapses. Improvement of methods of treatment should be based on the detailed analysis of treatment failures and late effects of the methods of therapy.