Chloe Lee

Medulloblastoma is a fast-growing tumor that occurs in the brain or spinal cord. As of 2023, it is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children, comprising almost 20% of all pediatric brain tumors. Although medulloblastoma survival rates have generally increased in the past decades to around 70-80%, these improvements have not been the same for all groups of people. There is conflicting research on which demographic, socioeconomic, treatment, and tumor factors are significantly associated with survival in children, adolescents, and young adults (AYAs) with medulloblastoma. Additionally, there is no universal definition for AYAs, so many studies observing outcomes in children and AYAs have different age ranges. 

My project aims to observe survival disparities in children and AYAs with medulloblastoma in the United States. To observe these disparities, I will use the National Cancer Institute’s SEER Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database, which compiles information from many different cancer centers across the country. My study will include patients ages 0-39 who have been diagnosed with medulloblastoma between 2000-2021, and I will use R, a programming language for statistical computing and data visualization, to perform all of my statistical analyses. My project will determine factors that are significantly associated with survival in standard risk vs high risk patients, which age group has the best survival outcomes, and prognostic factors for presenting with worse stage at diagnosis. Identifying and reporting disparities in survival is the first step toward improving health equity through specific and targeted solutions.