Eleanor's tumour is called an astrocytoma.  An astrocyte is a fairly common cell which can be found in the brain and the spine.  Their function is not yet completely understood but they are known to provide physical and nutritional support to neuron cells.  An astrocytoma is a tumour of an astrocyte.  An astrocyte is one of a group of cells known as glial cells and therefore an astrocytoma is sometimes referred to as a glioma.

Astrocytomas are graded (1-4).  Grades 1 and 2 are considered low grade tumours and are likely to be slow growing in the majority of cases.  Usually they remain in one part of the brain and gradually increase in size.  However it is possible for grade 1 and 2 tumours to grow quickly.  Grades 3 and 4 are high grade tumours and are likely to grow quickly.  High grade tumours also frequently spread to other parts of the brain as they tend to throw 'fingers' of tumour out from the main tumour mass.  This makes high grade tumours significantly more difficult to treat successfully.   The biopsy taken in May 2002 showed that Eleanor had a grade 2 tumour.  Following the operation in September 2004 a large amount of the tumour was analysed.  It became apparent that although the majority of the tumour was grade 2 there were also significant amounts of grade 3 cells.  Therefore Eleanor's tumour is now described as a grade 3 high grade glioma.

Eleanor's tumour is situated just above her eyes, close to the middle of her head.  The MRI scans below were kindly supplied by Alder Hey.  They were produced in May 2002 before Eleanor began treatment.  The tumour shows up as white.

 

MRI scans taken in May 2002

In 2002 it was possible to remove the tumour surgically but it was likely that the brain would have been significantly damaged during the course of the operation.  It is questionable whether Eleanor would even survive the operation.  Therefore surgery could only have been considered as a last resort.  Radiotherapy was the preferred course of treatment but this has serious developmental side effects in young children.  Therefore chemotherapy was used to try and treat the tumour.

The following MRI scans were taken in May 2004, six months after Eleanor completed her course of chemotherapy.

The scan on 17th September 2004 showed that the tumour had returned and that it was significantly bigger than it was before chemotherapy.  The tumour was close to the original location and appeared to be situated entirely in the temporal lobe of the brain.  Technological advances made surgery possible but it was complicated as the tumour was deep in the brain.  The operation lasted eight hours and removed around 70% of the tumour.  The preferred treatment method for high grade glioma's is complete surgical removal followed by radiotherapy and then possibly chemotherapy.  As Eleanor responded so well to chemotherapy previously we decided to try chemotherapy first.  She had four doses of chemotherapy which significantly reduced the remaining tumour mass.  She then had six weeks of radiotherapy followed by two further doses of chemotherapy.  MRI scans following the treatment have shown no evidence of residual tumour.  

There are no known causes for this type of tumour.