Pilocytic Astrocytoma | Symptoms & Causes
What are the symptoms of pilocytic astrocytoma?
As a pilocytic astrocytoma grows, it presses on surrounding healthy parts of the brain, affecting their function. As such, the symptoms of a pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma depend on the tumor's size and where in the brain it is located. Some of the most common symptoms of a pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma include:
- headache
- severe or frequent vomiting
- vision problems
- difficulty walking or balancing
- seizures
- weight gain or loss
- premature puberty
- clumsiness
- confusion
- sleepiness
- changes in behavior
Because these tumors grow so slowly, children may experience symptoms for months before seeing a doctor. However, in some children, symptoms come on very quickly because the tumor blocks the flow of cerebrospinal fluid — a liquid that cushions the brain and spinal cord — within the brain.
What causes pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma?
It’s important to understand that these and other brain tumors most often occur with no known cause. There’s nothing that could have been done or avoided that would have prevented the tumor from developing.
Pilocytic Astrocytoma | Diagnosis & Treatments
How are pilocytic astrocytoma diagnosed?
To diagnose a pediatric pilocytic astrocytoma, your doctor will take your child's medical history and carry out both physical and neurological exams. Your doctor may also order a variety of tests, including:
After all tests are completed, doctors will be able to outline the best treatment options.
What are the treatment options for pilocytic astrocytoma?
Our treatment approach for pediatric gliomas is personalized for each patient depending on several factors, including the tumor's type, stage, and location. Some therapies will treat the tumor while others are intended to address complications of the disease or side effects of the treatment.
In addition, our clinicians may offer access to targeted treatments based on the molecular profile of your child's tumor.
Some of the options your doctor may discuss include:
- surgery to remove as much of the tumor as possible
- chemotherapy
- radiation therapy
For pilocytic astrocytomas, often surgery is the only treatment required. We also offer brain tumor clinical trials for children with pilocytic astrocytomas.
