�Medulloblastoma is one of the nearly common and most malignant brain tumours among children and teenagers. These tumours grow very rapidly, and fifty percent of patients in the long term die from the consideration. The details of the processes that lead to the growth of these tumours have remained unknown until at present. In two studies, working together with international scientific teams, LMU medical scientist Dr. Ulrich Sch�ller has now successfully revealed certain molecular mechanisms that lead to the development of these cerebellar tumours. As reported in the current issue of the journal "Cancer Cell", the researchers triggered genetic changes in cell populations in the brains of mice in order to provoke the growth of tumours. It turned out that medulloblastomas arose from only one type of cell granule cells and only if these were already full committed. "Medulloblastomas are soon treated with nonspecific methods," states Sch�ller. "Our results could kick in to the development of targeted therapies, and thus improve the treatment of cerebellar tumours in children."
When children
