Untreated childhood visual pathway glioma means that no treatment has been given except to treat symptoms. It may come back in the brain or in the head or spinal area. Treatment option overview There are treatments for all children with visual pathway gliomas. Experienced doctors working together can often give the best treatment for children with visual pathway glioma. Your child's treatment will often be coordinated by a pediatric oncologist, a doctor who specializes in cancer in children.
Surgery is one treatment for visual pathway glioma.
Depending on where the cancer is and the type of cancer, your child's doctor may remove as much of the tumor as possible. If the tumor cannot be totally removed, radiation therapy and chemotherapy may also be given. If the cancer is in a place where it cannot be removed, surgery may be limited to a biopsy of the cancer. Radiation therapy can affect growth and brain development, so clinical trials are testing ways to decrease or delay radiation therapy, especially for younger children. Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells.