Perceived social competency in children with brain tumors: comparison between children on and off therapy.

Children with brain tumors are at risk for a number of cognitive, academic, and social difficulties as a consequence of their illness and its treatment. Of these, the least is known about social functioning, particularly over the course of the illness. Thirty children with brain tumors were evaluated using neurocognitive and psychological measures, including a measure of perceived competency.

Efficacy of high-dose chemotherapy or standard salvage therapy in patients with recurrent medulloblastoma.

The efficacy of high-dose chemotherapy (HDC) or standard salvage therapy was evaluated in patients with recurrent medulloblastoma (MBL) using retrospective chart review of all patients with recurrent MBL treated at Duke University Medical Center between 1995 and 2005 and who had undergone HDC with or without radiotherapy (RT) or standard salvage therapy after relapse. A total of 30 patients were diagnosed with recurrent MBL after standard RT alone or chemotherapy with RT. Nineteen patients (7 who received no RT before recurrence [group A] and 12 who received definitive RT before recurrence [group B]) underwent surgery and/or induction chemotherapy followed by HDC plus autologous stem-cell rescue.

Hydrocephalus as a possible additional contributor to cognitive outcome in survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between shunted hydrocephalus and intellectual, memory and academic functioning in a group of survivors of pediatric medulloblastoma.

Methods: Data from measures of cognitive, memory, academic and visual-motor functioning were gathered retrospectively from 35 survivors. Of these survivors, 10 (28.

Temozolomide in children with progressive low-grade glioma.

We conducted a phase II study to assess the efficacy of oral temozolomide (TMZ) in children with progressive low-grade glioma. Thirty eligible patients were enrolled on this study. Median age at enrollment was 10 years (range, 4-18 years).

Incidence and patterns of neuraxis metastases in children with diffuse pontine glioma.

Purpose: We performed a retrospective study of patients with diffuse pontine glioma (DPG) who suffered neuraxis metastasis (NM) and characterized the incidence, clinical features, radiologic findings, and patterns of disease dissemination.

Methods: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of brain and spine was used to assess NM. Some patients also underwent magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) (6 patients) and fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scans (13 patients) to further evaluate areas of metastatic disease.