Brain Tumours and Kids: 15 Facts That Parents Can’t Ignore

The thought of a brain tumour in a child is every parent’s nightmare, but knowledge is power. Here are some key facts to help you stay informed, recognize warning signs, and make the best choices if needed.

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON

FEATURED EXPERT DR YIP TSIAO YI Consultant Paediatric Haematologist and Oncologist Sunway Medical Centre

BRAIN TUMOUR

1. “Brain tumour can occur at any age,” says Dr Yap Tsiao Yi. “It is the second most common cancer and the most common solid tumour in children.”
2. The Malaysia National Cancer Registry Report (MNCR) stated that, from 2012 to 2016, brain and nervous system cancers accounts for 14.6% of tumours in boys and 15.8% in girls below the age of 14 years.
3. Brain tumour in children usually arise from brain cells—we call such tumours primary tumours.
4. Less common are tumours that are spread to the brain from other parts of the body—we call such tumours secondary tumours or metastatic tumours. “Such tumours are less common in children when compared to primary tumours, but they can still occur in certain types of childhood cancer,” says Dr Yap.

SIGNS & SYMPTOMS TO WATCH OUT FOR

1. Symptoms can vary from child to child.
2. Headaches and vomiting are common, caused by the growing tumour causing direct pressure to brain tissues or block the flow of cerebrospinal fluid—a clear fluid that circulates in the brain and spinal cord.
3. “Certain brain tumours can cause increased production of cerebrospinal fluid, and if present in younger infants below the age of one, it may cause an increase in head size, vomiting, growth delay, and/or crankiness,” explains Dr Yap.
4. For other children, they can display symptoms such as headaches, vomiting especially early in the morning, nausea, irritability, or personality changes.
5. In later stages, symptoms include drowsiness as well as decrease responsiveness which, if left untreated, can lead to coma and possibly death.
6. Depending on the location of the brain tumour, the affected child may also show signs such as double vision, blurry vision and other vision changes, abnormal eye movements, slurred speech, paralysis or weakness in part of the face or body, communication problems, problems in walking, and seizures.
7. Dr Yap encourages parents to be aware of such signs and symptoms and seek medical attention for their child as soon as possible.

TREATMENT

1. “When a tumour is found on imaging scans, blood tests can be drawn to determine if tumour markers are elevated,” Dr Yap states.
2. Sometimes, a lumbar puncture or spinal tap is performed to examine the cerebrospinal fluid for tumour cells.
3. A biopsy may be conducted, to remove a small sample of brain tissue to be sent to the laboratory for further analysis. Don’t worry, this is not the same thing as brain surgery. Instead, a very thin needle is usually used to extract the sample, and the area in which the needle will be placed into will be numbed so that your child won’t feel any pain.
4. Options for treatments depends on the type of brain tumour, so they can vary from child to child. These options include surgery to remove the tumour, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a combination of these treatments.