Central nervous system malignancies

Central nervous system (CNS) malignancies are the second most common malignancy in children and the most common form of solid tumours in childhood. Yet, brain tumours in children are the second leading cause of cancer-related death in this age group [1]. Over the last three decades, advances in neuroradiologic and other diagnostic and prognostic modalities, neurosurgical and radiation therapy (RT) techniques, and the application of chemotherapy, are responsible for the considerable improvement in the long-term survival of children with brain tumours. Currently the rate of 5-year survival achieves 74 % among patients (ages 0-19 years) with CNS tumours [1]. Epidemiology Although overall incidence is rare and central nervou