Early response and long-term results in the radiotherapy of childhood medulloblastoma.

Outcome results of 23 patients with childhood medulloblastomas were analyzed in relation to radiation technique and survival. No failures were noted when radiation dose of 5 400 rad was used; whereas none survived in the sub-group treated with less than 4 000 rad. The prognosis in the very young age group, less than three years old, was worse compared to the older child with a tendency to advanced disease at presentation. Quality of life in all survivors was satisfactory and long-term sequelae were surprisingly minimal in all aspects of physical, mental, and intellectual developments. Vertebral growth disturbance and short stature were the major late sequellae of successful radiotherapy.