Dr. Suess

"And will you succeed? Yes indeed! Yes indeed! Ninety Eight and Three Quarters guarenteed!"


Monday, July 03, 2006

Friends Baby

Pearls and Dreams

Kylie girl has a tumor called an AT/RT tumor. It is cancer. It is not good. This is from Saint Jude's ...

Disease Information
Brain Tumor: Atypical Teratoid / Rhabdoid Tumor (ATRT)
Alternative Names: ATRT

Definition

This rare, high-grade tumor occurs most commonly in children younger than 2. It is generally found in the cerebellum, which is the lower, back part of the brain that controls balance. These tumors tend to be aggressive and frequently spread through the central nervous system.


Incidence


This diagnosis has been classified only in the last three to five years; the tumor is a subset of medulloblastomas. They occur in about 1-2 percent of children with brain tumors.


Survival Rates

Even after surgery and chemotherapy treatment, the survival rate for children younger than 3 at diagnosis is less than 10 percent. It appears that older children, when treated with chemotherapy and radiation therapy after surgery, do somewhat better long-term, nearing 70 percent.


Treatment Strategies

Treatment generally involves surgical removal of the tumor followed by chemotherapy. Radiation therapy may be considered depending on the age of the child and whether the tumor has recurred.


Current Research

Researchers are investigating new, more effective methods of treating brain tumors of infants and young children. High doses of radiation can’t be used because it may cause permanent problems with thinking, learning, and growing when given to very young children. It has been standard therapy to administer chemotherapy in an attempt to delay giving radiation therapy until the child is older and thus giving the brain more time to develop. However, chemotherapy alone has not been effective in fighting brain tumors.

New radiation techniques that minimize damage to healthy tissue that surrounds brain tumor tissue are under investigation.

Stem cell transplantation as a part of treatment continues to be under study.

Scientists continue to study chromosomal abnormalities, genes, and proteins that may have a role in the development and metastasis (spread to other parts of the central nervous system) of pediatric brain tumors.

Clinical trials are underway to develop chemotherapy drugs effective against this tumor.

8 comments:

  1. I'm prayin for them pk... my heart goes out to them.

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  2. we will place her gently in gods amazingly powerful healing hands,

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  3. I am so sorry. I still believe God has her in HIS hands.

    (by the way I just tagged you)

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  4. I'm sending out all the thoughts, prayers and healing vibes I can muster.

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  5. Oh how terrible for her and her family pk.I am comforted knowing she is at St Jude's. I will keep her and her family in my Prayer's.

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  6. My name is Cyndi I stumbled on this blog when I was just looking stuff up my son is 18 months old and also has an AT/RT tumor he was we found out the day after Easter. PLEASE contact me. My son is doing great we have made a few of the decisions concerning his care and his treatment options. Hia tumor was the size of a golf ball and now there is no sign of tumor. I would like to give you some advice that only someone who is going thru the same thing you are going thru can give you. My son has a website www. caringbridge.org/visit/owenlyons
    Our thought are with you feel free to contact me his is getting chemo the next few days so we will be at the hospital. He is being treated at Children's in Milwaukee and Chicago.

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