The Chad Carr Pediatric Brain Tumor Center is a national leader in basic, translational, and clinical research on pediatric brain tumors. Across all areas of research, our shared goal is improving therapies for children with brain tumors.

The University of Michigan Brain Tumor Bank includes roughly 650 neurological tumor specimens — an enormous resource which has fueled research not only here at U-M but also national multi-center collaborations. Approximately 15 percent of the specimens in the bank are from pediatric patients. With an established, robust and well-maintained tumor bank, U-M is extremely well positioned to analyze those specimens for productive research, discovery and treatment potential.

For more information or to make an appointment, call 734-936-9814.

Accurate diagnosis is the single most important factor in creating an effective treatment plan for a brain tumor. Your C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital team will do a thorough examination and review of your child’s medical history as part of the diagnosis process.  The physical exam may include simple office-based tests evaluating reflexes, muscle strength, alertness, eye movement and coordination.

Several additional tests may be needed to definitively diagnose your child’s condition, including:

• MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) to produce detailed images of the brain or spine
• MRS (magnetic resonance spectroscopy) to help distinguish between normal tissue and tumor tissue
• CT (computerized tomography) scan, also referred to as a CAT scan, to obtain a detailed picture of the brain and spinal structures
• Positron Emission Tomography (PET) scan and PET fusion imaging, which provide precise anatomical and functional images to help guide our treatment decisions
• Biopsy, samples removed from the tumor and examined to confirm diagnosis of a specific type of tumor
• Spinal tap, or lumbar puncture, to remove a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid to see if any tumor cells have started to spread.
• DNA analysis can provide information that not only confirms or clarifies the type and characteristics of your child’s cancer, but can reveal molecular profile information about your child that often can influence how physicians plan your child’s treatment.  Innovative therapies are being developed that personalize treatment to an individual based on their genetic profile.  This type of personalized treatment planning through gene sequencing is only being done at a handful of children’s hospitals across the country. 

Our multidisciplinary pediatric brain tumor team meets regularly to ensure each patient gets the benefit of a complete range of expertise across all specialties involved in treating brain tumors.  Each member contributes to provide a truly collaborative approach to your child’s individual care.  The result is that each child has a team of more than a dozen doctors and nurses putting their collective expertise forward to accurately diagnose the child’s individual tumor type and classification, and advise on his or her treatment plan.

Your child’s treatment will be fully individualized towards his specific tumor type and personal medical characteristics. At C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital, specialists in pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric radiation therapy, pediatric oncology and pediatric neuro-oncology, pediatric endocrinology, ophthalmology, and pediatric otolaryngology work together to individualize your child’s care and apply the very latest therapies available.

Treatment generally includes some combination of:

• Neurosurgery to remove all or as much of the tumor as possible, while preserving neurological function
• Radiation therapy (high energy rays that kill or shrink cancer cells)
• Chemotherapy (cancer drugs)
• Blood and marrow transplantation

Surgical removal of the tumor is a part of most treatment plans.  Our pediatric neurosurgeons use innovative intraoperative MRI technology to provide a detailed view of brain and spinal cord tumors during surgery. The high-resolution images provided by the system lead to better precision in complicated neurosurgery operations, with the goal of reducing the risk of neurological injury during the procedure, reducing the likelihood of an incomplete resection and the eventual need for reoperation.

Some children require physical rehabilitation during and/or after treatment to maintain or rebuild motor skills and muscle strength.  Our renowned pediatric outpatient rehabilitation program provides comprehensive interdisciplinary therapies for patients.

In addition to the most advanced medical and surgical treatments available, your family will have access to a wide range of specialists here to support your needs along the way.  Our team also includes:

• Registered dietitians to provide nutritional support
• Pediatric oncology-focused social workers to support your family as you move along the diagnosis, treatment and survivorship journey
• Child life specialists
• A school liaison to support your child’s education during treatment

C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital is a recognized leader in pediatric cancer treatment and research, with the largest pediatric research effort in the state of Michigan. Our neuro-oncology team is conducting basic science, translational and clinical research geared toward finding better cures for several different types of brain tumors, improving the toxicity of current treatments. We are a very active member of the Children's Oncology Group Phase I and Phase II-III consortiums, offering families access to a wide range of clinical trials designed to find new treatments for childhood cancers. We also have the most comprehensive and largest portfolio of clinical trials in the state of Michigan for relapsed cancers, many of which were developed here at U-M.