An 18-month-old toddler from Bengaluru was recently treated for a rare, aggressive brain tumour in a city hospital.
The child was diagnosed with atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumour (ATRT) last year and was operated on at another hospital. The child was brought to MGM Healthcare in the city last month and investigations revealed that the tumour recurred in the brain stem.
ATRT is a rare and fast-growing cancerous tumour of the brain, with half of them beginning in the cerebellum or brain stem, which controls breathing, heart rate and the muscles used for seeing, hearing, walking, talking and eating. It occurs in fewer than 10% of children with brain tumours and is often seen in children aged below three. It can occur in older children and adults as well.
