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An estimated
3,410 children under age 20 are diagnosed
annually in the USA with a brain tumor. D.I.P.G
accounts for about 250 of those cases.
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Brain tumors are the second leading cause
of cancer-related deaths in children under
age 20 in th USA. Leukemia remains the
first.
Source:
Central Brain Tumor Registry of the
US.
Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma (DIPG)
is a tumor located in the pons (middle) of
the brain stem. The brain stem is the bottom
most portion of the brain, connecting the
cerebrum with the spinal cord. The majority
of brain stem tumors occur in the pons
(middle brain stem) and are diffusely
infiltrating, (they grow amidst the nerves),
and therefore are not able to be surgically
removed. Glioma is a general name for any
tumor that arises from the supportive tissue
called glia, which help keep the neurons,
("thinking cells") in place and functioning
well. The brain stem contains all of the
"wires" converging from the brain to the
spinal cord as well as important structures
involved in eye movements, face and throat
muscle control and sensation.
Source:
The American Brain Tumor Association
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