THE RADIATION TREATMENT OF MEDULLOBLASTOMA

Following the introduction of CS-RT the survival rate for this maligna nt tumour rose from zero to approximately 50%. It appears that the maj or advances over the last twenty years associated with the introductio n of CT/MRI, adequate staging, total resection, adjuvant therapy and i mproved radiation technique has only added 10-20% to the survival rate making it extremely difficult to evaluate the impact of these advance s. While radiation treatment is currently omitted or delayed under the age of 36 months, due to enhanced neurocognitive toxicity, and replac ed by maintained systemic therapy, the early encouraging results must stand the test of time in order to become standard practice. The treat ment of a child with medulloblastoma with radiation treatment remains the corner stone of treatment while additional novel therapies are bei ng developed.