Brain tumors in children.

Childhood brain tumors are the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality in the pediatric years and differ from primary central nervous system tumors occurring in adults. Management strategies must take into account not only the tumor type, but the age of the patient and the likelihood of treatment-induced nervous system damage. With current means of treatment, most children older than 3 years can be effectively treated. Chemotherapy has taken on an increasing role in the treatment of childhood medulloblastomas, low-grade gliomas, and high-grade gliomas. Some tumor types, especially atypical teratoid tumors, brainstem gliomas, malignant gliomas, and malignant infantile tumors, remain significant therapeutic dilemmas.