Chiasmal glioma - symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

Chiasmal glioma is a rare type of cancer that primarily occurs in children. It rarely affects people over twenty years of age. About 10% of brain tumors are located within the optic nerve. Chiasmal glioma accounts for only 1% of this number. This type develops in the optic chiasm, at the intersection of the left and right optic nerves.

Symptoms

Common symptoms of this type of tumor are:

• nausea and vomiting;
• visual impairment;
• headache.

Other symptoms may include:

• memory impairment;
• drowsiness during the day;
• loss of appetite;
• growth retardation;
• involuntary eye movements.

Diagnostics

Neurological examination usually reveals changes in the area of ​​the optic nerve. The patient experiences partial or complete loss of vision. It is not uncommon for intracranial pressure to be too high. Other types of diagnosis for chiasmal glioma include: brain computed tomography (CT) , magnetic resonance imaging ( MRI ) of the brain, and biopsy.

Treatment

Treatment for this type of cancer includes several types of treatments. Surgery and radiation therapy are two possible treatments for chiasmal glioma. Only a doctor can determine what will help a particular patient.

Surgery is not always the solution. This treatment method can be used if doctors are confident that this will lead to complete destruction of the tumor. Alternatively, surgeons may remove the cancer piece by piece to help lower intracranial pressure.

Radiation therapy may be used before surgical intervention. This will help reduce the size of the tumor. Another option is to use this treatment after surgery to kill any remaining cancer cells. It is important to note that the use of this type of exposure is extremely rare, since the disease in most cases affects children. Radiation therapy can have a negative impact on a patient's development and intellectual abilities.

Chemotherapy uses drugs to kill cancer cells. This is especially necessary if the tumor has already spread to other areas of the brain. Corticosteroids may be given to reduce swelling.

After treatment

There are frequent cases of side effects after treatment of chiasmal glioma. Because most cases of this tumor occur in children, radiation or chemotherapy may not be effective for some time. Cognitive difficulties, learning difficulties and growth problems may occur due to cancer treatment. You should talk to a specialist about possible future side effects and what you can do to reduce the damage caused by treatment.

Having childhood cancer brings social and emotional challenges. In such a difficult situation, the child needs to be surrounded by peers and parents.