Childhood Cancer

Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors

Chapter 2: The Brain and Spinal Cord

The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.

— Ernest Hemingway
A Farewell to Arms

IF YOUR CHILD HAS A BRAIN OR SPINAL CORD TUMOR, it’s helpful to understand the basics of brain and spinal cord anatomy. Learning about the structure and function of the brain and spinal cord makes it easier to understand doctors’ explanations about types of tumors and treatment plans.

This chapter provides an overview of brain and spinal cord anatomy, with several figures to help you visualize the different parts of the brain. It then discusses symptoms associated with tumors in various locations in the brain and spinal cord. The chapter also includes a table summarizing all the tumor locations and associated symptoms.