Brain Tumors & Brain Cancers in Children

Children prove to be the bundle of joy, spreading happiness and smiles everywhere. But when they get affected with any kind of disease, just the thought is enough to bring shivers down the spine? Children being young, their bodies and brains are still developing. As their needs are different, likewise their brain tumors are also different. Though this dreadful disease is rare, it affects almost 20% of the children. Children are supposed to be handled with care, so treatment options for brain tumors in children may vary depending upon the location and size of the tumor and the child’s age as well.

What Are Brain Tumors?

As stated, brain tumor is the unwanted growth of abnormal cells in and around the brain which in turn affects the brain & eventually leads to several damages in the body. Brain tumors are of different types and have various classifications depending upon the tumor’s cell structure, location and the rate of growth. Most pediatric brain and spine tumors are primary tumors, which clearly say that the tumors have originally started in brain or in spine. These tumors can be benign meaning noncancerous or malignant meaning cancerous. Both are life threatening. The word benign and malignant is typically used to describe how normal or abnormal the cells of these tumors are when they are viewed under a microscope. Cell structures which look alike as normal cells are said to be benign cells and those that seems to be different are malignant cells. However just by looking at the appearance of cell structure would not tell whether the tumor is benign or malignant.

Brain Tumors in Children

Most common types of brain tumors in children are astrocytoma, medulloblastoma and ependymoma

• Astrocytoma: These are noncancerous slow growing tumors. Also known as low grade gliomas seen in the children of age group 5 – 8 years.
• Medulloblastoma: Are the most common type of brain cancers found in children of the age 10 years and below.
• Ependymoma: These are the type of brain tumors which can be benign or malignant. Type and location of ependymoma decide the kind of treatment which is needed to control the tumor.

Treatment

Children are very delicate and do not have strength like in adults. But apart from this, treatment option depends upon the age of the child being treated and certain factors of the tumor. Ultimate goal of treatment however, is to cure the tumor and improve brain’s function with the child’s comfort. Surgery is often needed for most brain tumors to remove them completely. But wherever tumors cannot be removed completely, other treatment options like chemotherapy and radiation therapy are used to relieve pressure and pain in head.

What is The Cost of Brain Tumor Surgery?

With confirmed diagnosis of the brain tumor, concern of money for treatment comes along. Brain tumor surgery cost in India is much lower as compared to equivalent treatment options in other developed countries. This low-cost facility is offered without any compromise on the standard of treatment. Brain tumor surgery in India is performed under the supervision of best pediatricians and neurologists who have the best academic credentials and are experts in their respective areas of specialization.