Treatment
The treatment of brain tumour includes surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
As a child's physical and intellectual development may be impaired by these
types of treatment, the doctor will give careful consideration before proceeding
and will also explain to the child and parents the side effects of the treatment.
In most cases, the neurosurgeon will operate to see if the tumour is benign
or malignant and will remove it, if possible. In order to reduce the swelling
of brain tissue around the tumour,a steroid (known as dexamethasone) will be
prescribed before the operation. If hydrocephalus is present, a tube (shunt)
will be inserted into the brain to drain the spinal fluid to relieve the pressure
inside the skull. If the tumour cannot be removed, a permanent tube (shunt)
may be put into the brain to drain the spinal fluid into the abdomen.
Children with malignant brain tumour may need radiotherapy to the brain. Sometimes,
the spine also receives treatment because the tumour cells may have spilled
into the spinal fluid and spread along the spine. The child may feel lethargic
about 6 weeks after the treatment but this will eventually subside. Some brain
tumour can be treated by chemotherapy.
After undergoing treatment, the child will often need physiotherapy, play and
occupational therapy, speech therapy and sometimes hormone replacement. These
are usually carried out one or two weeks after the operation. As the child may
have to be hospitalized for a long time for these rehabilitation therapies,
provision is made by teachers of the Red Cross Hospital School to tutor the
child in school work.
The child will need regular follow-up after discharge from the hospital. If
there is no recurrence in 5 years after complete removal of a benign tumour,
he is most likely completely cured. After a malignant tumour is removed and
if the child remains well, then the tumour is considered to be under control.
The symptoms of recurrence may be similar to those in the initial stage of the
illness. When recurrence occurs, further treatment is then needed.