title: Favorable outcome after radical excision of a 'Holocord' astrocytoma.
abstract: We report a favorable outcome following a staged radical excision of an intramedullary low-grade astrocytoma involving the entire spinal cord in a pediatric patient. Although the preoperative neurological status was poor, the eventual outcome was good. This highlights the importance of a good tumor-cord interface that permitted a radical excision of an extensive tumor. Since partial excision followed by radiotherapy usually results in disease progression in patients with low-grade astrocytomas, radical excision and follow-up is probably the treatment of choice.
authors.affiliation: Section of Neurosurgery, Department of Neurosciences, Christian Medical College Hospital, 632004, Vellore, India.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Chacko
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Chandy
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D003560:Cysts / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D016896:Treatment Outcome