Key clinical point: Adding intraventricular methotrexate to systemic chemotherapy produced favorable survival outcomes in patients with desmoplastic medulloblastoma (DMB) and medulloblastoma with extensive nodularity (MBEN).

Major finding: At 5 years after diagnosis, the DMB/MBEN patients had a 93% progression-free survival rate, a 100% overall survival rate, and a 93% craniospinal irradiation–free survival rate.

Study details: A prospective trial of 87 children diagnosed with medulloblastoma before 4 years of age, including 42 patients with DMB/MBEN.

Disclosures: This research was supported by the German Childhood Cancer Foundation, Styrian Childhood Cancer Foundation, and other organizations. The investigators disclosed relationships with Medac, Novartis, Eli Lilly, Bayer, Roche, and numerous other companies.