Glossary

– a formula used to calculate the optimal dose of carboplatin to administer a patient for treatment of a cancer. It adjusts the administered dose for the size of the patient and their globular filtration rate (kidney function).

Computerized axial tomography – a type of radiological imaging where a series of 2-dimensional x-ray images are assembled using a computer into a three dimensional image.

Complete blood count – a laboratory test that gives the red blood cell count, white blood cell count, concentration of blood cells; i.e., hematocrit, and concentration of hemoglobin in the blood as well as parameters for the red blood cells. Included is typically a statement about percentages of the various types of white blood cells and the amount of platelets in the blood.

Cerebral blood flow – The blood supply or flow to the brain in a given time. Normally it is 750 millitres per minute or 15% of the cardiac output in an adult. The CBF is greater in children (2 fold increase) and decreases by adolescence (1.5 fold increase). CBF can be calculated by dividing the cerebral perfusion pressure by the cerbrovascular resistance. Cerebrovascular resistance is controlled by four major mechanisms: the brain’s metabolic activity (or ‘metabolic autoregulation’), autoregulation of pressure, chemical control (by arterial pCO2 and pO2)and neural control.

Cerebral blood volume – the amount of blood in the brain.

Children’s Cancer Study Group – This was a North American clinical trial cooperative group that was active in late 20th century with a mission to study childhood cancers. In 2000, the CCG merged with several other pediatric cooperative groups to form the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).

Lomustine, an alkylating nitrosourea drug that is highly lipid soluble.  It is used as an oral, chemotherapy drug for tumors inn the brain.

Lomustine-an alkylating nitrosourea that readily crosses the blood-brain barrier due to its highly lipid soluble nature. This has resulted in its wide use for the treatment of brain tumors.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – A United States federal agency whose mission is to protect the public health and safety by providing information to enhance health decisions. It does this through partnering with state health departments and other organizations in the United States and the world to understand the dissemination of disease and its control.

The brain and spinal cord. These structures receives and integrates information from the body via the peripheral nervous system and coordinates the activity of the elements of the body.