Brain Tumors Brain tumors are classified and named for the type of tissue in which they develop. As a group, brain tumors are the second most common cancers of childhood. They may occur at any age, including early infancy and in adolescence, but are seen most often in children 5 to 10 years old. Symptoms include seizures, morning headaches, vomiting, irritability, behavior problems, changes in eating or sleeping habits, lethargy, or clumsiness. Diagnosis is often difficult, because these symptoms can and frequently do indicate any number of other problems, either physical or emotional.
Treatment depends on the type of brain tumor involved.
For the most part, surgery, radiation, or both are used. Anticancer drugs that can be given intravenously or orally and penetrate the brain and central nervous system are also used to treat brain tumors. Neuroblastoma Neuroblastoma arises from very young nerve cells that, for unknown reasons, develop abnormally. More than half of these tumors occur in the adrenal glands, which are located in the abdominal area near the kidneys. Symptoms include a mass, listlessness, persistent diarrhea, and pain in the abdomen or elsewhere.