Central nervous system tumors of childhood and adolescence: The rehabilitation challenge of survival and "true cure".

We have described four typical clinical scenarios involving management of children and young people presenting with central nervous system (CNS) tumors. We identify the biological stages of brain development and describe the tumor-related and treatment-related late consequences faced by those travelling along the rehabilitation pathway. The long term clinical challenges for these young people extend from monitoring for tumor recurrence, second tumor development, endocrine deficits and the need for a co-ordinated approach to rehabilitation during their transition from pediatric to adult services. This is the main focus for this series, the conversion of a 'cancer cure' to a 'true cure'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]