Meduloblastoma: de la clasificación histológica a la molecular

Abstract

Medulloblastoma is a common tumor in children, but is rare in adults. It is the second most common cause of cancer-related death in patients under 15 years. The presence of a median or paramedian enhancing cerebellar mass, often compressing the fourth ventricle may indicate the presence of this tumor. Genetic and molecular markers offer a new approach to the understanding and classification of medulloblastomas. Hence we have come to understand medulloblastoma not as a sole disease but rather, as a group of clinically and molecularly distinct pathologies. Magnetic resonance imaging of the spine and lumbar puncture must be performed in all patients as part of the assessment of the extent of disease, since spinal leptomeninges are common sites for metastatic dissemination. Ideally, its treatmeant involves an interdisciplinary group that provides surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. Prognosis depends upon variables such as age (under three years), metastatic dissemination, residual tumor after surgery, large cell/anaplastic histological variant, and group 3 tumor (MYC amplification group).