What is Neuroblastoma?
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that develops in the nervous system of babies and young children. It can also occur, rarely, in adolescents. A neuroblastoma tumor often affects immature nerve tissue called neuroblasts. The most common area for neuroblastoma to appear is in the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. Adrenal glands produce hormones that control body functions such as digestion, blood pressure, breathing and heart rate. Neuroblastoma can also begin in other areas of the body such as the chest, neck, spine or spinal cord, or abdomen. Neuroblastoma is the most common cancer in babies and can even occur before birth. It almost always develops in children before the age of 5. Neuroblastoma accounts for about 10% of childhood cancers. A very small percentage of neuroblastoma cases are hereditary, which is determined through genetic testing for those patients with a...
What is Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT)?
Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT) is a rare and fast-growing tumor that typically originates in the brain and spinal cord. These tumors most often occur in the part of the brain called the cerebellum, which controls movement and balance, or in the brain stem, which controls vital functions like breathing and heart rate. AT/RT mainly occurs in children under the age of three, but it can occur in older children and very rarely in adults. AT/RT is found in fewer than 3% of children with brain tumors. In most cases, AT/RT is associated with a specific genetic mutation in the SMARCB1 or SMARCA4 genes. These genes make a protein that helps control cell growth. About 10% of AT/RT cases have a hereditary genetic abnormality that increases the risk of developing AT/RT. AT/RT SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AT/RT symptoms vary depending on the tumor’s size and location as well as the child’s age....
What is Medulloblastoma?
Medulloblastoma is a type of brain cancer that’s most commonly found in children. “Medulloblastoma starts in the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain,” explained Rally-funded Researcher Dr. Jezabel Rodriguez-Blanco, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. “It is a fast-growing tumor that often compresses the ventricle that brings the protective cerebrospinal fluid to the brain. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that controls balance, coordination, speech and other motor functions. Medulloblastoma can spread through the fluid that surrounds your brain, called cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and affect the areas around the brain and spinal cord. Rarely does it spread to other parts of the body. “Medulloblastoma has been one of the most molecularly interrogated pediatric tumors,” said Rally-funded Researcher Dr. Vidya...
What is Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)?
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a brain tumor found in a part of the brain stem—above the back of the neck and connected to the spine—called the pons. The pons is a vital part of the brain, controlling critical bodily functions like breathing, swallowing, blood pressure, heart rate, eyesight and balance. DIPG occurs almost exclusively in children; most often between the ages of four and 11. DIPG accounts for roughly 10-15% of all brain tumors in children. These tumors—called gliomas because they grow from glial cells—permeate healthy brain tissue and cause severe symptoms. DIPG is classified into four stages, with Grade III and IV being the most aggressive. DIPG SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS Children with DIPG typically experience double vision, loss of balance and clumsiness, weakness in the arm and legs, nausea and vomiting, headaches (especially in the morning) and difficulty with...
What is a Glioma?
“Glioma” is a general term for a group of tumors that begin in glial cells—the supporting cells of the brain. Gliomas are classified based on their location and by the type of glial cell—astrocytes, oligodendrocytes or ependymocytes—from which they arise. Thus, many different types of brain tumors are classified as gliomas, like astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, brain stem gliomas and glioblastomas. About half of all pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors are gliomas. Gliomas are the most common group of brain tumors in both children and adults. “There are studies that definitely show that while pediatric high-grade gliomas share certain features with adult gliomas, they are also biologically distinct from adult high-grade gliomas,” said Rally-funded Researcher Renee Read, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Department of Pharmacology and Chemical Biology and Department of...
What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short, is a type of blood cancer that causes bone marrow to overproduce a type of white blood cells called lymphoblasts. ALL is the most common type of cancer that affects kids, accounting for roughly 30% of all cases of childhood cancer. Lymphoblasts are immature white blood cells that are responsible for identifying and destroying foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. When someone has ALL, the bone marrow produces too many lymphoblasts that do not mature properly. These immature lymphoblasts prevent normal lymphocytes from forming and are simultaneously unable to fight infections in the body. Signs and Symptoms of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia The fact that ALL affects the body’s defense system means that the disease will likely cause a lot of problems for patients before being diagnosed. These...
What is Neuroblastoma?
Neuroblastoma is a cancerous tumor that develops in the nervous system of babies and young children. It can also occur, rarely, in adolescents. A neuroblastoma tumor often affects immature nerve tissue called neuroblasts. The most common area for neuroblastoma to appear is in the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys. Adrenal glands produce hormones that control body functions such as digestion, blood pressure, breathing and heart rate. Neuroblastoma can also begin in other areas of the...
What is Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT)?
Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT) is a rare and fast-growing tumor that typically originates in the brain and spinal cord. These tumors most often occur in the part of the brain called the cerebellum, which controls movement and balance, or in the brain stem, which controls vital functions like breathing and heart rate. AT/RT mainly occurs in children under the age of three, but it can occur in older children and very rarely in adults. AT/RT is found in fewer than 3% of children with...
What is Medulloblastoma?
Medulloblastoma is a type of brain cancer that’s most commonly found in children. “Medulloblastoma starts in the cerebellum, which is located in the back of the brain,” explained Rally-funded Researcher Dr. Jezabel Rodriguez-Blanco, Assistant Professor, Department of Pediatrics at the Medical University of South Carolina. “It is a fast-growing tumor that often compresses the ventricle that brings the protective cerebrospinal fluid to the brain. The cerebellum is the part of the brain that...
What is Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)?
Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is a brain tumor found in a part of the brain stem—above the back of the neck and connected to the spine—called the pons. The pons is a vital part of the brain, controlling critical bodily functions like breathing, swallowing, blood pressure, heart rate, eyesight and balance. DIPG occurs almost exclusively in children; most often between the ages of four and 11. DIPG accounts for roughly 10-15% of all brain tumors in children. These tumors—called gliomas...
What is a Glioma?
“Glioma” is a general term for a group of tumors that begin in glial cells—the supporting cells of the brain. Gliomas are classified based on their location and by the type of glial cell—astrocytes, oligodendrocytes or ependymocytes—from which they arise. Thus, many different types of brain tumors are classified as gliomas, like astrocytomas, oligodendrogliomas, ependymomas, brain stem gliomas and glioblastomas. About half of all pediatric brain and spinal cord tumors are gliomas. Gliomas are...
What is Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL)?
Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, also called acute lymphocytic leukemia, or ALL for short, is a type of blood cancer that causes bone marrow to overproduce a type of white blood cells called lymphoblasts. ALL is the most common type of cancer that affects kids, accounting for roughly 30% of all cases of childhood cancer. Lymphoblasts are immature white blood cells that are responsible for identifying and destroying foreign invaders like bacteria and viruses. When someone has ALL, the bone marrow...