title: The management of craniopharyngioma.
abstract: Twenty-six patients with proven craniopharyngioma were treated between 1954 and 1977. Total surgical removal was achieved in three patients (11.5%). Tumour recurrence was inevitable following incomplete surgical removal alone. Fifteen patients received post-operative radiotherapy following incomplete surgical removal of the tumour and eight patients (54%) survived, recurrence-free, for 5 years or more. Post-operative radiotherapy, delivering a central target absorbed dose of 4500 cGy in 20 fractions over 28 days (1520 rets) or more, significantly improved the recurrence-free survival (P = 0.019) with minimal morbidity. Partial resection of recurrent tumour carried a high mortality rate. Minimal salvage surgery in the form of cyst aspiration sometimes resulted in worthwhile palliation.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003397:Craniopharyngioma / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000601:surgery; D010911:Pituitary Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage