Astrocytomas Treatment

Surgery is the first and primary treatment for childhood astrocytomas. However, if any cancer cells remain after surgery, additional treatment will be needed. The surgery is often performed at the same time as a biopsy, if cancer cells are found during the biopsy.

Radiation therapy uses high-energy rays to destroy cancer cells. After surgery, it can be part of the treatment program for children with astrocytomas. Certain ways of administering radiation therapy can help prevent it from damaging nearby healthy tissues. Our radiation oncologists at Sheba have specialized techniques to determine the dose and volume of radiation so that it provides maximum benefits with minimal long-term effects for the overall health of your child.

Chemotherapy may be used to destroy remaining cancer cells after surgery for astrocytomas. When chemo drugs are taken orally or by injection, the drugs enter the child’s bloodstream and can reach cancer cells throughout the entire body; this is known as systemic chemotherapy. Combination chemotherapy involves the use of more than one anticancer medication. Typically, systemic combination chemo is used to treat children with astrocytomas.

To kill cancer cells, high doses of chemo drugs are given. As a consequence of this powerful treatment, many healthy cells are also destroyed. In order to replace the blood-forming cells that have been destroyed, stem cells can be transplanted into the patient. The infused stem cells develop into healthy blood cells and restore the normal cells that were destroyed.

Targeted therapy uses drugs or other substances to identify and destroy cancer cells without damaging normal healthy cells. The molecular profile of your child’s tumor will largely determine whether or not targeted therapy is an option.

There are different types of targeted therapies, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor therapy (such as Bevacizumab) is one type that is currently being used to treat pediatric astrocytomas. Another type of targeted therapy that may be used to treat astrocytomas is protein kinase inhibitors. Many progressive studies are ongoing to determine the best types and ways to use targeted therapy against astrocytomas.