Abstract Background and Aims Objective:Medulloblastoma is the most common malignant brain tumor in children, typically arising in the cerebellum. It is an aggressive tumor known for its high proliferation rate and tendency to metastasize via the cerebrospinal fluid to other parts of the central nervous system. The objective of this study is to describe the characteristics and treatment of medulloblastoma at Children’s Hospital 2, Vietnam. Methods A retrospective analysis of 15 patients diagnosed with Medulloblastoma at the Children’s Hospital 2, Vietnam, from June 2024 to June 2025. Results Of the 15 patients, the incidence is around 4 times higher in males than in females. The median age was 8.7 years old ± 4.0. The median time from symptom onset to surgery was 52 days ± 4.5 days. The predominant presenting symptoms were headache (60%), followed by blurred vision (20%), weakness in the legs (13.4%), and convulsions (6.6%). Medulloblastoma was most commonly found in the fourth ventricle (73%), followed by the cerebellum region (27%). The three main common pathologies were: Classic (40%), Large-cell/Anaplastic (33.3%), and Desmoplastic/Nodular (26.7%). All cases were grade IV. Four cases had spinal metastases. Twelve patients underwent total resection (80%), and 20% received partial resection. All patients received radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Regarding risk classification, the breakdown is 60% standard risk and 40% high risk, with one case death during treatment because of meningoencephalitis. Conclusions This study provides insight into the clinical presentation, treatment, and outcomes of Medulloblastoma at the Children’s Hospital 2, Vietnam. The diagnosis of Medulloblastoma can be challenging due to its rarity and the variability of clinical symptoms. Medulloblastoma requires the coordination of multiple departments, including chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation therapy, for effective multimodal treatment. Further studies are needed to explore the long-term outcomes of pediatric Medulloblastoma in low and middle-income countries.
Nguyen et al. (Tue,) studied this question.