Childhood Astrocytomas Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Patient Information [NCI]-General Information A
Childhood Astrocytomas Treatment (PDQ®): Treatment - Patient Information [NCI]-General Information About Childhood Astrocytomas
The cause of most childhood brain tumors is not known.
Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your child's doctor if you think your child may be at risk. Possible risk factors for astrocytoma include:
Having NF1 may increase a child's risk of a certain type of tumor called visual pathway glioma. These tumors usually do not cause symptoms. Children with NF1 who develop visual pathway gliomas may not need treatment for the tumor unless signs or symptoms, such as vision problems, appear or the tumor grows.
The signs and symptoms of astrocytomas are not the same in every child.
Signs and symptoms depend on the following:
Some tumors do not cause signs or symptoms. Signs and symptoms may be caused by childhood astrocytomas or by other conditions. Check with your child's doctor if your child has any of the following:
Tests that examine the brain and spinal cord are used to detect (find) childhood astrocytomas.
| Anatomy of the brain, showing the cerebrum, cerebellum, brain stem, and other parts of the brain. | Anatomy of the inside of the brain, showing the pineal and pituitary glands, optic nerve, ventricles (with cerebrospinal fluid shown in blue), and other parts of the brain. |
The cause of most childhood brain tumors is not known.
Anything that increases your risk of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. Talk with your child's doctor if you think your child may be at risk. Possible risk factors for astrocytoma include:
- Past radiation therapy to the brain.
- Having certain genetic disorders, such as neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) or tuberous sclerosis.
Having NF1 may increase a child's risk of a certain type of tumor called visual pathway glioma. These tumors usually do not cause symptoms. Children with NF1 who develop visual pathway gliomas may not need treatment for the tumor unless signs or symptoms, such as vision problems, appear or the tumor grows.
The signs and symptoms of astrocytomas are not the same in every child.
Signs and symptoms depend on the following:
- Where the tumor forms in the brain or spinal cord.
- The size of the tumor.
- How fast the tumor grows.
- The child's age and development.
Some tumors do not cause signs or symptoms. Signs and symptoms may be caused by childhood astrocytomas or by other conditions. Check with your child's doctor if your child has any of the following:
- Morning headache or headache that goes away after vomiting.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Vision, hearing, and speech problems.
- Loss of balance and trouble walking.
- Worsening handwriting or slow speech.
- Weakness or change in feeling on one side of the body.
- Unusual sleepiness.
- More or less energy than usual.
- Change in personality or behavior.
- Seizures.
- Weight loss or weight gain for no known reason.
- Increase in the size of the head (in infants).
Tests that examine the brain and spinal cord are used to detect (find) childhood astrocytomas.
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