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Childhood Central Nervous System Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor Treatment (PDQ®)

Patient Version
Last Modified: 04/13/2012

Treatment Options for Newly Diagnosed Central Nervous System Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor

Key Points for This Section


There is no standard treatment for patients with central nervous system atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor.

Combinations of treatments are used for patients with atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor.

Because atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AT/RT) is fast-growing, a combination of treatments is usually given. Most treatments include both surgery and chemotherapy. Treatments for AT/RT may include combinations of the following:

Clinical trials of new treatments should be considered for patients with newly diagnosed atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor.

Check for U.S. clinical trials from NCI's list of cancer clinical trials that are now accepting patients with childhood atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor 1. For more specific results, refine the search by using other search features, such as the location of the trial, the type of treatment, or the name of the drug. General information about clinical trials is available from the NCI Web site 2.



Glossary Terms

atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor (AY-TIH-pih-kul TAYR-uh-toyd/RAB-doyd TOO-mer)
An aggressive cancer of the central nervous system, kidney, or liver that occurs in very young children. Also called AT/RT and ATT/RHT.
chemotherapy (KEE-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment with drugs that kill cancer cells.
clinical trial (KLIH-nih-kul TRY-ul)
A type of research study that tests how well new medical approaches work in people. These studies test new methods of screening, prevention, diagnosis, or treatment of a disease. Also called clinical study.
diagnosis (DY-ug-NOH-sis)
The process of identifying a disease, such as cancer, from its signs and symptoms.
high-dose chemotherapy (hy-dose kee-moh-THAYR-uh-pee)
An intensive drug treatment to kill cancer cells, but that also destroys the bone marrow and can cause other severe side effects. High-dose chemotherapy is usually followed by bone marrow or stem cell transplantation to rebuild the bone marrow.
radiation therapy (RAY-dee-AY-shun THAYR-uh-pee)
The use of high-energy radiation from x-rays, gamma rays, neutrons, protons, and other sources to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. Radiation may come from a machine outside the body (external-beam radiation therapy), or it may come from radioactive material placed in the body near cancer cells (internal radiation therapy). Systemic radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance, such as a radiolabeled monoclonal antibody, that travels in the blood to tissues throughout the body. Also called irradiation and radiotherapy.
stem cell transplant (stem sel TRANZ-plant)
A method of replacing immature blood-forming cells in the bone marrow that have been destroyed by drugs, radiation, or disease. Stem cells are injected into the patient and make healthy blood cells. A stem cell transplant may be autologous (using a patient’s own stem cells that were saved before treatment), allogeneic (using stem cells donated by someone who is not an identical twin), or syngeneic (using stem cells donated by an identical twin).
surgery (SER-juh-ree)
A procedure to remove or repair a part of the body or to find out whether disease is present. An operation.

Table of Links

1http://www.cancer.gov/Search/ClinicalTrialsLink.aspx?Diagnosis=38475&tt=1&a
mp;format=1&cn=1
2http://www.cancer.gov/clinicaltrials