RUSTY'S STORY

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​Rusty Schultz,

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just four and a half years old, was recently diagnosed with a pineoblastoma brain tumor. A pineoblastoma is a rare malignant brain tumor which arises from the cells of the pineal gland which sits near the center of the head and brain. They are a form of primitive or undifferentiated tumor which displays pathology which is very abnormal, quickly growing and invasive. Because the pineal gland sits just above and behind the third ventricle and the cerebral aqueduct, fluid-filled spaces in the brain, an enlarging tumor in this region can compress the aqueduct, cutting off the normal flow of fluid within the brain. This can lead to what is known as hydrocephalus which results in enlargement of the ventricles and increased pressure in the head. This can lead to symptoms such as headache, nausea, vomiting and finally neurological deterioration as it becomes more severe.

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Information from: ​http://www.nervous-system-diseases.com/pineoblastoma.html