Our oncologist is strongly suggesting we do conformal radiation on
Caden. He doesn't believe she has a very good chance without it,
because of her positive CSF-results (although our last test showed
NO CELLS PRESENT!!) and the aggressive type of tumor she has. He
says that although she is young, conformal radiation is safer than
stereotactic and that she may suffer neurological damage, but the
risk is outweighed by the need for the treatment.

Do any of you have kids (young or not) who've been damaged by
radiation, or who've had good results from conformal? Is it really
safer than stereotactic? Would you take the risk?

Caden is 18-months old, and would be two when we started radiation
if we go on this plan. She had a very large (orange-size) cerebellar
ATRT that was pressing on her brainstem. Her CSF was positive for
cancer cells, which I believe made her very high risk when combined
with the chromosomal abnormality present in the tumor (chromosome 22
test results came back this week - it is abnormal in the tumor).
She's on a nasty chemo regimin (etopophos+cisplatin for cycles 1 and
2, and vincristine+etopophos+cytoxan for cycles 3 and 4. Doses are
doubled in cycles 2 and 4 (as compared to what they were in 1 and
3). cycle 5 will be high-dose melphalan+carboplatin followed by stem-
cell rescue. She's also getting triple-intrathecal therapy twice
each cycle (except possibly cycle 5)) but the doctor doesn't think
it's going to be enough to cure her.

Thanks in advance for any help offered

Chelsea, Marlee, and Caden