Some Background

Because what Beckett has sounds so much worse than it is, we should probably explain why Beckett has this tumor and how it is different from other kinds of tumors.

Beckett has neurofibromatosis type I (NF 1), a genetic mutation that causes nerves to spontaneously produce little bumps (benign tumors).

Many people have wildly wrong ideas about NF.

Medical programs report on the very rare extreme cases of NF, and TV shows get it totally wrong. Some people get bumps over part of their bodies, but the range of the disease is usually from mild to moderate. Most people with NF lead totally normal lives.

These bumps are often on the skin and are usually harmless. If they get annoying, some of them can be cut off. These tumors are usually not treated because they are not like cancer cells that can spread to other parts of the body.

Tumors on the optic nerve are actually fairly common in children with NF, somewhere between 15-50%. They are usually not treated either, because most will never grow. Some will grow and then shrink again.

Beckett's tumor, however, showed a lot of growth since his last MRI, which is the reason for treatment now. As we've said before, this is not a life-threatening tumor. It isn't cancer. If someone who didn't have NF had an optic glioma, it would be a lot more serious. If we could monitor Beckett's vision closely, we might not be treating it either, but it's hard to gauge vision in a two-year-old.

For more information about Type I Neurofibromatosis, visit the Harvard Medical School Center for Neurofibromatosis and Allied Disorders here.