Medulloblastoma prognosis

A prognosis is when your doctor gives you a forecast of the likely outcome of your medical condition. We know that medulloblastoma prognosis is a sensitive topic, so please contact our Support Team if you need to talk to someone.

On this page:

• About medulloblastomas
• What is a medulloblastoma prognosis?
• What is the medulloblastoma survival rate?
• Receiving information about a medulloblastoma prognosis

About medulloblastomas

Medulloblastomas are brain tumours that usually start in the posterior fossa – an area at the back of the skull that contains the cerebellum. These tumours are most commonly found in the cerebellum, which controls coordination and balance.
They are commonly found in children between the ages of 3 and 8, with boys getting them more than girls.

What is a medulloblastoma prognosis?

During a prognosis, your doctor will discuss your medulloblastoma and tell you how they think it will affect you.

Your doctor cannot be absolutely certain about what will happen to you following a diagnosis of a brain tumour. They can give you an estimate, based on your tumour type and current situation. But they may not be able to predict other factors, like how well you might respond to treatment. This is why prognosis is often an ongoing process, revised at different stages in your journey.

What is the medulloblastoma survival rate?

The difference in age, genetics, tumour size, and other factors means that there are different levels of risk for people affected by medulloblastomas. Below are the survival rates for average risk and high risk cases.

Average risk

About 70 to 80% of children diagnosed with medulloblastoma live for five years or more.

High risk

About 60 to 65% of children with high risk medulloblastomas live for five years or more.

The figures listed above are given in 5 year intervals simply because doctors use 1, 2, 5 and 10 year intervals for research/measuring purposes. They are not meant to represent how long a person will live past those intervals. For example, a patient who is a 5 year survivor might live as long as any other healthy person, depending on their circumstances.

It is important to remember that statistics and averages cannot tell you what will happen to you specifically.
Read more about medulloblastoma brain tumour treatments and side-effects.

Get support

If you need someone to talk to or advice on where to get help, our Support team is available by phone, email or live-chat.

Support and Info Line

Receiving information about a medulloblastoma prognosis

Different people approach their prognosis in different ways.

• Some do not want to know, because they are afraid of what they might hear and how it may affect them
• Some just need some time to cope with their diagnosis before asking about their prognosis
• Others may want to know from the beginning, using their prognosis to plan ahead

There is no right or wrong answer as to whether or when to receive such information. It is entirely up to you whether or when you want to speak to your doctor about your prognosis.