A Guide To Common Childhood Cancers

Brain And Spinal Cord Tumors

A common type of cancer in young children are cancers that develop along the nerves of the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms greatly vary depending on the location of the brain and spinal cord tumors. A child with a tumor in the brain may experience headaches, nausea, vision, hearing, speech problems, seizures, loss of balance, and personality changes. If the tumor is located farther along the spinal cord, the child may have difficulty walking, back pain, or changes in bowel movements. Children who develop a tumor while they are still an infant may not reach normal developmental milestones on time. Most of these tumors are treated and diagnosed with surgery. The doctor will start a surgery to biopsy the tumor, and if it proves to be cancerous, they will go ahead and remove the tumor during the same surgery. Afterward, chemotherapy may be needed to remove any other spots of cancer.