Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT) is a rare and fast-growing tumor that typically originates in the brain and spinal cord. These...
What is Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT)?
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What Is
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...
What is Medulloblastoma?
Medulloblastoma is a type of brain cancer that’s most commonly found in children. “Medulloblastoma starts in the cerebellum, which is...
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...
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...
What is Wilms Tumor?
Wilms tumor is a type of kidney cancer that primarily develops in children around the ages of three and four. It’s the most common type of...
What is Retinoblastoma?
In simple terms, retinoblastoma is an eye cancer that develops in the immature cells of the retina. Though it is rare—with approximately...
What Is
What Is a Lumbar Puncture? What is a Spinal Tap?
It’s scary enough to have your child diagnosed with cancer. But on top of that you hear all these new words and terms, which can be overwhelming, such as lumbar puncture or spinal tap. A lumbar procedure is the same thing as a spinal tap. It is a commonly performed procedure to diagnose and manage a variety of diseases including cancer. It is an invasive procedure used to collect the cerebral fluid that surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. A lumbar puncture/spinal tap may also be done to...
What is Chemotherapy?
You just found out that your child has cancer. And that chemotherapy is part of the treatment plan. Most everyone has heard of chemotherapy. But what is it really? Chemotherapy is any drug used to stop the growth of cancer cells. Chemotherapy is designed to either kill cells or stop them from dividing. Is there just one chemotherapy? There are many different types of chemotherapy because different chemotherapies treat different types of cancer. Sometimes your child may receive several...
What is Radiation?
Radiation therapy is targeted energy used to destroy cancer cells, shrink tumors and/or alleviate certain cancer-related symptoms. Radiation therapy uses high-energy X-rays and other forms of radiation therapy to damage the DNA in cancer cells, killing them or depriving them of their ability to grow or divide. Radiation can be used in several ways: Primary treatment to destroy cancer cells In combination with other treatments to stop the growth of cancer cells Before another treatment to...
What is an MRI?
MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Having an MRI does not hurt, and it is safe – no radioactivity is present. It may take up to one hour, or, if your child needs an anesthetic, most of the day. An MRI scan provides diagnostic information not available when using plain X-rays, ultrasounds, or CT scans. Using a large magnet, radio waves and a computer, an MRI scanner creates very clear and detailed images of organs and tissues in the body. During the MRI, your child will need to lie very...
What is a CT Scan?
A CT (or CAT) scan is a diagnostic medical imaging procedure that creates three-dimensional images of internal organs, soft tissues, blood vessels and bones. CT stands for Computed Tomography. It provides a more detailed image than a traditional X-ray. Most CT scans take a few seconds, while some may take more than 10 minutes. The CT scanner looks like a giant donut with a sliding bed inside, and your child needs to lie very still during the procedure. It’s important to wear comfortable,...
What is a Blood Transfusion?
A blood transfusion is a routine medical procedure to transfer blood (or a specific component of blood) from one person to another. Blood has several components, including: Red cells that carry oxygen and help remove waste products; White cellsthat help your body fight infections; Plasmais the liquid part of blood; and Plateletshelp blood clot properly. Blood transfusions can save lives. They are a treatment for certain diseases, including blood cancers. Receiving a platelet transfusion is...