Diffusely growing brainstem tumors in children and adolescents: Has alternating treatment policy changed results?

The authors analyze the MEDLINE publications in the past 20 years on the treatment of diffusely growing brainstem tumors in children and adolescents. Radiation and  chemoradiation are main treatments for these diseases. The use of different radiationdose fractionation modes and different combinations of cytotoxic drugs has caused no significant changes in long-term results. Whatever the used treatment option is, most patients die within the next 1–2 years after tumor progression. Prognosis mainly depends on the biological properties of a tumor and patients with low-grade glioma generally survive longer. The late effects of radiotherapy make quality of life worse in long-term survivorsafter treatment. Hopes to enhance therapeutic effectiveness are placed on the development of targeted therapy options based on molecular biological markers

The laser reflexotherapy in children's oncology

The article deals with the results of the authors' own preliminary results and the data of several investigations on using reflexotherapy in oncology. The results of those works demonstrate its effectiveness and safety in such manifestations of malignant tumors and complex treatment complications as pain syndrome, nausea, vomiting, edemas, immunodeficiency. In Russia the great experience in that field was accumulated by the Medical Radiological Scientific Center and by Research Institute of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology of Russian Oncological Scientific Center. The large-scale investigations in that field are underway in the US under the auspices of the National Cancer Institute. The well-tested methods of reflexotherapy should be introduced wider into the oncological practice, the research on that problem should be expanded