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RUNNING HEAD: BRAIN CANCER 1
Brain Cancer in Children
By: Preston Perlas
Health Careers Academy

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ABSTRACT
Most neurologist would agree that, brain and spinal cord is what makes up the central
nervous system. When the brain functions, our body functions through the use of nerves emitting
electrical charges in our body. Basically the brain is the control and terminal of our bodies
embedded within our cranium. The brains is what makes us ourselves, storing all memory and
thoughts in a place called the thalamus which controls our sleep, consciousness, and dreams.
When something destroys parts of the brain, and invades those desires, often times they are
enemies, and they are called tumors which cancer in the brain can result to abnormal cell growth
in brain tissues, which is brain cancer. Tumors can cause a variety of symptoms often related to
the brain and its function. Tumors that often grow beyond their area of invasion are called
metastatic tumors which can cause even more problems according to the brain, which sometimes
is impossible to resect rather than normal cancerous tumors in the brain that are not metastatic.
My question is: “What can I do to change the life of children with brain cancer and other
problems that they may suffer from other than brain cancer? Also, how will I understand the
anatomy of those with brain cancer and how it may impact their life physically (medically),
mentally, and emotionally. And lastly, how will the product I am creating make an impact in
those with brain cancer and other symptoms related to cancer? What I will do is that I will
organize an Arts and Craft event which will incorporate coping strategies such as drawing and
creative art techniques. The Arts and Craft event that I am organizing is considered play therapy
which incorporates the use of art and creativity to get preoccupied minds off problems that may
relate to an individual.

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Overview of BRAIN CANCER?
Brain cancer are cancerous cells that invade space in the brain killing off healthy tissues.
Some brain tumors can be called metastatic tumors growing beyond their active site or origins in
the brain. However not all brain tumors are cancerous, some can be benign, but most of the time
brain tumors that originate in the brain are malignant. Brain tumors that are malignant are
considered primary brain tumors. Metastatic tumors are the biggest tumors that occur in the brain
over­growing to other sites in the brain. Basically, they are large masses in the brain invading
cells and destroying cell walls and the membranes around the tissues. Brain tumors that usually
form in the brain are can take the form of Pituitary tumors, Meningiomas, Gliomas Glioblastoma
and etc,. This project will help children cope with brain cancer. My goal is to help children that
suffer from these tumors, and help them cope with their symptoms whether their cancer is
terminal or not.
Cancer in the United States
Nearly everyday, people are being diagnosed with brain cancer in the United States.
Cancer is one of the leading cause of death in most Americans. About 70,000 Americans have
cases of primary brain tumors each year. Cancer is a major medical issue in the United States
even for children. Also, “about 4,600 childrens 0­19 years of age are diagnosed with cancer
every year.” (Facts and Stats for Brain Cancer (2015)) According to Facts and Stats for Brain
Cancer (2015), “about 700,000 people in the united states are living with brain cancer and 14,000
people tend to die from these tumors.” “Brain cancer can cause a variety of symptoms related to

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the brain and the peripheral nerves. In this case, brain cancer can be life threatening for many
Americans who strive to live. Refer to Appendix 1 for more information.
Types of Brain Cancer
There are different types of tumors that may occur in neurological areas of the brain. First
off primary tumors may be called gliomas which are tumors that occur in the brain, such as
astrocytoma, gangliogliomas, medulloblastoma, oligodendrocytoma. According to this chart,
there are tumors that can be metastasize, meaning a tumor that grows beyond it origin. NBTS
(2011) states that ¨tumors that are metastasized in patients are considered to be the most deadliest
malignant tumors, as well as glioblastomas. Patients having metastasized tumors are most of the
time considered terminally ill, sometimes possibly not.¨ According to that statement above,
patients have a higher chance at death with a metastasized tumor than ones with regular brain
cancer. Somehow, there is slighter chances at life of a patient being saved from a metastatic
tumor. One of the most common type of brain cancer are astrocytomas, and these brain tumors
can affect major functions of the brain. Astrocytoma can vary by the grade of malignancy or the
rate of malignancy. According to Louis M.D. and Cavanee M.D. (2015) states that “depending
on the malignancy of the tumor, we have to consider the types malignancy and the rate of its
malignancy such as a low grade astrocytoma, and then a progression of anaplastic astrocytoma
which is a grade II astrocytoma two a grade III astrocytoma and the most malignant of all, a
glioblastoma multiforme.” A glioblastoma multiforme are the most dangerous tumors.
Multiforme Glioblastomas not only invade space in the brain, they spread easily to different
portions of the brain which becomes more than one tumors

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Brain Tumors in kids/ Childrens
The most common types of brain tumors in kids are medulloblastomas, which it is a
primitive neuroendocrine tumor which a medulloblastoma occurs in the central nervous system
arising between cerebellum and the pons. Then there are astrocytomas, which can also be
malignant arising from the essential cells of the brain called astrocytes. There are other tumors
such as ependymomas. These are glial tumor that develops in the lining of the ventricles, the
passageway of the brain which is in the spinal cord. Ependymomas can recur even after medical
or surgical treatment ranging from low grade to high grade tumors. Here are the types of tumors
of normal cancers. ​Benign (Tumors): ​Tumors that are non cancerous in the brain and the central
nervous system. An example of a benign tumor would be a ependymomas, and an astrocytoma.
These tumors don’t have cancer cells, but depending on where the tumor is in the brain, it can be
very dangerous. ​Malignant (Tumors): ​Tumors that are cancerous in the brain and the central
nervous system. Types of tumors that are malignant in children would be Astrosarcoma, and
Gliosarcoma. These tumors have cancer cells and they spread to different part of the brain and
body. ​Primary (Tumors): ​Tumors that originally starts in the brain and continues to grow only
within the the brain or its origin. Cancerous tumors that are primary to the brain will spread only
within the brain. ​Metastatic (Tumors): ​Tumors in our bodies spreading to the brain and the
central nervous system. Considered as one of the biggest tumors. For example, a gliosarcoma

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start in the central nervous system (the brain) and then spreads to the peripheral nervous system
(the spine). This is an example of a tumor so large it grows beyond its primary origin.
Coping with Brain Cancer
As most doctors call it childhood cancer; childhood cancer can present a lot of
challenges. Cancer can be confusing for children, and hard on a child. Children tend to get scared
when told something is going to happen to them. Cancer is one of those stages that cause
children to become worried. Sometimes for kids, cancer can be something terminal. Otherwise, it
really depends on how your child may view and see the situation in their life. Ways to help
children cope with cancer. Among the many difficult questions parents face when a family
member is diagnosed with cancer is “What do I tell my children?” (CancerCare, 2016) It can be
very mentally painful for children who are diagnosed with brain cancer because their automatic
response will lead them to thinking they will die whether it is terminal or not. For most children,
it can be hard or easy to get a child to cope with cancer depending on the situation. Like getting a
child to do something fun, like playing a sport, and getting something for them to help transfer
their emotions and thoughts on to something else that will help them cope with cancer.
Treatments for Brain Cancer
As long as the tumor doesn’t reach a certain malignancy level, cancer can be removed
through combinations of radiation and surgery. Also, treatment for managing cancer also comes

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with radiation, and chemotherapy. This may be prescribed by a radiologist and medical
oncologist. There are also other types of medication for managing symptoms of cancer, such as
headaches, which can be treated with prescribed narcotics and stimulant if mental dysfunction
from cancer occurs. Depending on the stage of cancer and if this includes surgery, if the tumor is
not removable, the surgeon will try to remove as much of the tumor as possible without
damaging healthy tissues that surround the tumor. If radiation is needed, the radiation will
normally shrink areas of the tumor and target the tumor using radiation beams administered at
low doses. After these session, you patients may feel nausea, vomiting and headaches. Also if
chemotherapy is needed, it will help kill the cancer cells, and this can be administered orally
through intravenous shots entering the blood vessel and into the bloodstream or implanted into
the surgical cavity following tumor removal. Refer to Appendix 2 for clear understanding.
Organizing the event (Arts and Craft event)
The product of this service project will take time. I have consent from each parents in
this Arts and Craft event for children with brain cancer. The Arts and Craft event includes
multiple art and creative activities such as designing frames and drawing on it. Others will be to
designed frames using crafty scissors. In this event, we will had the children's design their own
handprints using washable paint. With all these activities included in the Arts and Craft event, all
these activities should give the children the opportunity to not worry about their situations with
brain cancer and other illnesses as it is considered play therapy. The event was going to be
organized determined by how much other junior projects were prioritized, by all mean, that my
event at first was not possible.
Review of Research

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Brain cancer is life threatening, and a major medical condition which can be deprivating.
There are all sorts of cancer occurring in the brain. The research was to identify each problem of
brain cancer and how this could affect each individual’s life physically, emotionally, and
mentally. Also medically, because, each tumor has its own harm to the central nervous system,
such as a gliosarcoma multiforme occurring in the frontal lobe, and by key term, “multiforme”
which is a type of cancer than can reproduce it cells to different portions of the nervous system.
Multiforme tumors can also be known as a metastatic tumor. Whether the tumor is benign or
malignant, these tumors can be very life threatening. It is not something that all children want to
live by, and they notice it when it makes them feel different from others. However, coming up
with coping strategies for childrens with brain cancer does help, as reviewed from research. Play
therapy is one of the coping strategies, and also social interaction, like family, and friends. Each
of these coping strategies are meant to help a child individual get their mind their cancer, like a
meditative therapy.
LIMITATION OF RESEARCH
The stretch of this project was assembling the Arts and Craft event. Having to contact the
Hugs Foundation and getting approval for clearance was one of the process. Also location,
having to schedule the time and how long the event will be coordinate, as well as assembling the
Arts and Craft event crew. Also, having to buy the products for the event was a stretch, because
of quantity: how much people are coming to the event? I also had to take the time planning the
event and making time out of school for the event, even if it means missing school to do an event
for brain cancer patients. Also running the event making sure everybody was safe was a stretch,
because of the location I decided to have it at. Even though the Arts and Craft event might not be

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possible to run because of the other projects that are prioritize by the foundation. The main thing
was having someone to reach out to for the event to happen, like the Hugs Foundation and
making time to talk to them about the step by step on running my own event.
IMPLICATION
The reason for this research being done was to reach out to children with brain cancer,
and to support not only those who suffer from brain cancer, but people who suffer from cancer in
general. Also, to support the foundation who help the lives of these children and, to help raise
hope for those with cancer that will one day find a treatment for their cancer so that they can live
a long life. This research was implemented to get a thorough understanding of how these cancer
in the brain and in general affect these children's physiologically and of how children cope with
cancer and how they can possibly deal with these situations when they are suffering from cancer.
To get a more understanding of the topic, it would be much better to discuss how brain cancer
can be treated, doing lab experiments with a professional to understand the medical knowledge
of treating brain cancer by using small test subjects. For example, using a dead rat with cancer as
a subject and then testing it in a lab to see if there is any possible way to treat different types of
cancer.
Significance of RESEARCH
The importance of this research was to to reach out to children with cancer, to help battle
cancer in a way so that they can hope for the best of their future they may possibly have. It is
very important that children know how to cope with cancer because, they are only young and
they have less lives to lives when it comes to cancer. That is why reaching out to children with
cancer is important because the purpose of this research was to help children deal with brain

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cancer themselves. It wasn’t just research, I also wanted to help those with problems that
encounter in their lives as cancer may deprive their personality. This project on brain cancer was
to get people to learn how they can cope with brain cancer, even if treatment is possible or not
possible. Anyone could get a terminal illness, but the purpose of this project was to help make a
change in people’s live, and they don’t have to have brain cancer, it can be any sort of problems
whether it is a medical issue or not.

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APPENDIX 1
Brain tumors in the U.S according to the year of 2015
70,000 People new cases of primary brain tumors are diagnosed this year.
4,600 Childrens 0­19 diagnosed with a brain tumor this year. Common in the central nervous system
700,000 people Amount of Americans in the U.S living with Brain Tumors/ Cancer
14,000 Tend to die from tumors suffering from terminal illness
­there are more than 120 types of tumors
Types of Tumors Meningiomas represent 34% of all primary brain tumors, making them the
most common primary brain tumor.
Gliomas, a broad term which includes all tumors arising from the gluey or
supportive tissue of the brain, represent 30% of all brain tumors and 80% of
all malignant tumors.
Glioblastomas represent 17% of all primary brain tumors, and 54% of all
gliomas.
Astrocytomas represent 7% of all primary brain tumors.
Astrocytomas and glioblastomas combined represent 76% of all gliomas.
Nerve sheath tumors (such as acoustic neuromas) represent about 9% of all
primary brain tumors.
Pituitary tumors represent 13% of all primary brain tumors.
Lymphomas represent 2% of all primary brain tumors.
Oligodendrogliomas represent 2% of all primary brain tumors.
Medulloblastomas/embryonal/primitive tumors represent 1% of all primary
brain tumors.
The majority of primary tumors (34%) are located within the meninges,
followed by those located within the frontal, temporal, parietal and occipital
lobes of the brain (22%).

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APPENDIX 2

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