The Road to Recovery: Treatment Options

Typically, the first step in treating medulloblastoma is undergoing surgery, as Matt did. The goal of this surgery is to take out as much of the tumor as possible and to take a sample from the tumor to confirm the diagnosis.

The next step in treatment is usually radiation. If the surgeons were able to remove all of the tumor during surgery, the patient will be treated with a reduced-dose radiation. If some of the tumor is still left behind, a higher-dose radiation therapy will be used. Radiation involves using a high level of X-rays or another type of ray in order kill the cancer cells and slow their growth. Some of the side effects of radiation include: swelling of the targeted tissue (in this case, the brain), mouth and throat sores, and the risk of developing a second cancer. It is important to still encourage an adequate intake of food and water despite the mouth and throat sores in order to prevent dehydration and malnutrition.

In some instances, the patient will also undergo chemotherapy as a last treatment option. Chemo is an extremely powerful agent and will work to to kill cancer cells and prevent them from replicating and spreading. The chemo can either be given by injection or orally. Both of these routes will allow the effects of the chemo to spread throughout the entire body. One of the most difficult symptoms to manage with chemotherapy is the nausea and vomiting that many experience. Also, alopecia, or the loss of hair, is very commonly experienced and can be difficult for patients to cope with.

Generally, all of these treatment options are done over a long period of time. The Road to Recovery is a long road that runs along side The Road to Awesome. These treatment options all demand a lot from both the patient and their family and many will find it difficult to cope with all of the changes. It is important to remember the emotional side effects and consequences of these treatment options and to utilize support resources for the family and the patient.

References:

http://www.stjude.org/medulloblastoma-pnet

Hesketh, P. (2014). Prevention and treatment of chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting. UptoDate 1151(47).

Mitin, T. (2014). Radiation therapy techniques in cancer treatment. UptoDate 89528(8).