Affiliations: Professor of Paediatric Oncology, Children's Brain
Tumour Research Centre, University of Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre,
Nottingham, UK | Professor of Paediatrics, Neurology &
Neurosurgery, The Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California,
and The Neural Program, Children's Center for Cancer & Blood Diseases,
Children's Hospital Los Angeles, CA, USA
Note: [] Address for correspondence: David A. Walker, Professor of
Paediatric Oncology, Children's Brain Tumour Research Centre, University of
Nottingham, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham NG7 2UH, UK. E-mail:
[email protected]; www.cbtrc.org
Abstract: We have described four typical clinical scenarios involving
management of children and young people presenting with central nervous system
(CNS) tumors. We identify the biological stages of brain development and
describe the tumor-related and treatment-related late consequences faced by
those travelling along the rehabilitation pathway. The long term clinical
challenges for these young people extend from monitoring for tumor recurrence,
second tumor development, endocrine deficits and the need for a co-ordinated
approach to rehabilitation during their transition from pediatric to adult
services. This is the main focus for this series, the conversion of a 'cancer
cure' to a 'true cure'.
Keywords: Brain tumor, clinical scenarios, brain development, cancer late effects, rehabilitation
