Choroid Plexus Carcinoma – Symptoms and Causes
Overview
Choroid plexus carcinoma is an uncommon brain cancer primarily affecting children. This cancer develops in the choroid plexus, which is responsible for producing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) that protects the brain and spinal cord.
As the cancer cells multiply, they can disrupt normal CSF production and circulation.
Signs and Symptoms
Choroid plexus carcinoma may cause several noticeable symptoms. These often include:
- Blurred or double vision
- Headaches
- Increased tiredness
- Irritability
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Seizures
These symptoms typically occur because of increased pressure within the brain or the tumor’s effect on surrounding brain tissue.
Medical Attention
Contact a healthcare provider if your child shows any concerning symptoms from the list above. Don’t hesitate to seek medical care if you notice unusual changes in your child’s behavior, vision, or if they complain of persistent headaches.
Causes
Scientists don’t fully understand what triggers most choroid plexus carcinomas. These tumors begin when brain cells start growing abnormally.
The root of the problem lies in DNA changes within brain cells. DNA works like an instruction manual for cells, controlling their growth, division, and death cycles.
In healthy cells, these instructions maintain balance. However, when DNA becomes altered, these instructions change dramatically.
Affected cells receive faulty commands that make them:
- Multiply too quickly
- Survive longer than they should
- Avoid normal cell death processes
This uncontrolled growth creates an accumulation of abnormal cells that form a tumor. As this mass grows larger, it can push against nearby healthy brain tissue, causing damage.
The tumor may eventually invade surrounding areas, destroying normal brain structures and disrupting important functions.
Unlike some other cancers, researchers haven’t identified specific environmental factors or inherited genes that consistently cause this rare brain cancer.
Risk Factors
Several factors may increase a person’s chance of developing choroid plexus carcinoma:
Age
- Most common in children under 2 years old
- Can occur at any age, but young children face a higher risk
Genetic Factors
- Some cases are linked to inherited genetic changes
- Li-Fraumeni syndrome is a known genetic condition that increases risk
The exact causes of choroid plexus carcinoma remain unclear. Doctors continue to study why these tumors form in the tissue that makes cerebrospinal fluid.
While these risk factors may increase the likelihood of developing this rare brain cancer, many people with these risk factors never develop the disease.
