Extensive surgical excision of large hemispheric "malignant" astrocytoma in a 6-week-old infant.
A massive hemispheric "high"-grade astrocytoma, diagnosed in a 6-week-old infant, was totally excised by means of two craniotomies. The child is still alive and well with minimal neurological dysfunction 1.5 years after operation. This case report illustrates the benefit of aggressive surgical excision (without radiation or chemotherapy) of massive malignant neonatal astrocytomas. While surgical deficits may be minimized by the plasticity of the developing nervous system, extensive excision may yield occasional long-term palliation.
Epstein
N E
NE
Department of Surgery, Long Island Jewish Medical Center, New Hyde Park, NY 11040.
Sundrani
S L
SL
Rosenthal
A D
AD
Decker
R E
RE
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000473:pathology; D011379:Prognosis; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed