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What is Gliomatosis Cerebri?
It is a highly aggressive rare form of a malignant astrocytic tumor. In the very first stages, it is shown on the brain scans as an infiltrating glial tumor of the cerebral cortex. The reason for the name “Gliomatosis Cerebri” comes from the word gliomas that are tumors classified according to the aggressive appearance. There are four grades of glioma, but Gliomatosis Cerebri is sometimes unable to be determined because only a fraction of the tumor that underwent a biopsy can be discovered so many of it is unknown and unfixable.
Causes:
There aren’t any known causes to get this disease. No one knows whether people are born with it or whether its something people can avoid. If it is a disease that people are born with- what sparks it? Unfortunately, nobody knows the answers but research is being conducted to find them out.
Predisposition/Prevalence:
There aren’t any conditions that would predispose someone to get Gliomatosis Cerebri. There have been less than 100 cases of this specific disease. Its extremely rare and it’s hard to decipher this disease from other rare diseases. Gliomatosis Cerebri is only present in 3% of pediatric brain tumors. This disease, for the most part, occurs in young children.
Symptoms:
Depending on the area of which the tumor is present, the type and number of symptoms will alter. Producing symptoms that aren’t very specific is a result of gliomatosis cerebri being on the cerebral hemispheres. The reason for these symptoms is the increase of the pressure within the brain and inflammation. Although many of the people diagnosed with this experience many different symptoms, they change such as the amount of boldness in a symptom or the rate at which it affects the body. Most common symptoms include frequent headaches, vomiting or sickness, seizures, tingling and numbness, depression, impairment, and changes in behavior or thought process.
Effects On The Body:
There are many effects on the body. Whether or not the disease is on the first stages or far there after, the growth on the brain causes more symptoms, functioning because of their location. This includes a lot of weakness, both mentally and physically. It also includes many other neuroendocrine abnormalities, which is a rare type of cancer often misdiagnosed because of many separate and non-specific symptoms. On the inside, the reason for the classification of this tumor depended on the effects, such as an increase of hypercellularity, which is an abnormal amount of excess cells and in nuclei, and an increase growth of blood vessels, along with other things. There is also an increase in protein, a big decrease in glucose that becomes unbalanced, and a need for a higher dose of medication. A side effect from radiation can be inflammation, which could increase the other symptoms and may call for the need of steroids to bring down the symptoms of the radiation. With all of the actions to keep this rapid aggressive tumor under control, it makes the child extremely weak, tired, nauseous, not hungry, and quiet, along with many others.
Treatment:
The opinion of the individual and their doctor as of what specific treatment the person will receive will be decided on things like the child’s age, their tolerance for medication or therapy, their overall health, medical history, the disease extent, and the type, location, and size of the tumor. Radiation is commonly used for the treatment. The function of radiation is to damage or kill cancer cells by using high-energy rays to shrink or, hopefully, remove the tumor. Even with treatment such as radiation and chemotherapy, there is no specific treatment to cure or relieve this disease.
Life Expectancy:
The prognosis if a person has this disease is very poor. The general life expectancy at the highest is only 12 months. Even though radiation may stabilize the growth of the tumor for a little while, the impact for survival is nothing. Chemotherapy is also unsuccessful and surgery isn’t highly recommended for the high extent that the operation would have.
Latest Research:
The Children’s Hospital and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute have conducted the latest research. They study and research to help better understand, treat, and maybe even prevent this from reoccurring. The Brain Tumor Program is also trying to find a working treatment. The St. Jude hospital along with many others is conducting trials and tests using gene therapy, monoclonal antibodies, response modifiers, and radiation techniques.