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Treatment for your child's brain and/or spinal cord
tumor will depend greatly on the type of tumor and its
location. Work very closely with your child's team
of doctors to determine the best possible course of
treatment for your child. Treatment may use one or
multiple types of drugs and may be combined with
radiation. The most important part of your child's
treatment program should be a healthy diet. Avoid
foods with processed sugars and drink plenty of water.
Some drug therapies react with ingredients in some foods
and should be avoided. These will be explained by
your child's doctor.
No treatment is without risk. Be sure to
educate yourself on all aspects of your child's
treatment plan and what the risks are.
IMPORTANT - No question is a stupid question!
After all, it's your child's life on the line!
Gamma Knife Radiosurgery - Gamma Knife
radiosurgery uses no knives. Instead 201 beams of
cobalt radiation are used in precise locations to target
the tumor and kill the cancer cells. Surrounding
tissue receives a very low dose of the radiation while
the tumor receives extremely high doses of radiation.
The procedure is done by fastening a head frame to
the patient. The frame is then attached to the
machine's helmet. Children going through gamma
knife radiosurgery are typically put under anesthesia to
prevent movement during the procedure. The
procedure may take from 15 minutes to an hour depending
on the target.
For more information on Gamma Knife Radiosurgery,
click
here.
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