Choroid plexus carcinoma

Choroid plexus carcinomas occur within the ventricles of the brain and can block the cerebro-spinal fluid from circulating and draining, causing pressure to build up in the skull.

What is choroid plexus carcinoma?

These tumours mostly grow in one year olds, where the signs of the raised intracranial pressure may be vomiting and lethargy (drowsiness) or your child being unable to look upwards. Their head size may also grow quickly.

These tumours are high grade (grade 3) and fast-growing. They can be associated with the genetic condition, Li-Fraumeni syndrome. They are different from choroid plexus papillomas, which are low grade and slow growing tumours.

Symptoms of choroid plexus carcinoma

The first symptom of the tumour may be pressure headaches, particularly in the mornings.

Treatment of choroid plexus carcinoma

Treatment involves removing as much of the tumour as possible followed by chemotherapy and, sometimes, radiotherapy. This partly depends on the age of the child, as health professionals try not to give radiotherapy to children under 3 years.

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