|
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!
Radiation Therapy - Radiation therapy is the
use of ionizing radiation with a linear accelerator to
kill cancer cells. Radiation therapy is
administered over a period of consecutive days and
typically takes about 15 minutes to receive each
treatment.
For brain and spinal cord tumor patients, a cast or
form is created exclusively for the patient and used for
every treatment. When the brain is the target, a
mask is created to lock the head in place for the
treatment.
Side-effects from radiation therapy may include
fibrosis, hair loss, dryness of the mouth, and fatigue.
Radiation therapy can also cause secondary malignancies.
For more information on Radiation Therapy, click
here.
|
