The frequency of brain tumors has been underestimated in children with the common genetic syndrome -- neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
Health News: Parents, please take note. The frequency of brain tumors has been underestimated in children with the common genetic syndrome -- neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), a new study has found.
According to the researchers, this disorder is characterised by birthmarks on the skin and benign nerve tumors that develop in or on the skin. Brain tumors are also known to occur in children and adults with NF1.
They estimated that only 15-20 per cent of kids with NF1 develop brain tumors. But the study, published in the journal Neurology: Clinical Practice, found that the frequency of brain tumors in this population was more than three times higher.
What is Neurofibromatosis"I'm not delivering the message anymore that brain tumours are rare in NF1. This study has changed how I decide which children need more surveillance and when to let the neuro-oncologists know that we may have a problem," said senior author David H. Gutmann from the Washington University School of Medicine.
- A condition that causes tumors to form in the brain, spinal cord and nerves.
- SYMPTOMS: Type 1 can cause bone deformities, learning disabilities and high blood pressure. Type 2 can cause hearing loss, vision loss and difficulty with balance. Type 3 can cause chronic pain throughout the body.
Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans of children with NF1 characteristically show bright spots that are absent in the scans of unaffected children. Unlike tumors, they are generally thought to disappear in teenage years, the researchers said.
Since brain tumours can be confused with harmless bright spots, it has never been clear whether finding these abnormalities via...continue reading
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