Neuropsychological impact of treatment of brain tumors.

摘要

Advances in treatments for brain tumors have seen a significant increase in survival rates over the past few decades. This increase has been particularly dramatic in the pediatric population; for example, long-term (>5 years) survival rates for medulloblastoma, the most common primary malignant brain tumor of childhood, are now between 70 and 85 %. The figures for adults are less heartening, but nonetheless show a considerable improvement from previous decades when most treatment was considered palliative. As the number of survivors continues to increase, attention has increasingly focused on the late effects of treatment. Neurotoxicity is a widely acknowledged side effect of those treatments most successful at achieving 'cure'. Thus, risk-adapted modifications are currently being made to achieve an acceptable balance between effectiveness and toxicity.