Optic gliomas of the anterior visual pathway.
OBJECTIVE
To review advances in the diagnosis and management of optic-pathway gliomas made within the past 5 years.


RESULTS
Important papers regarding optic-pathway gliomas have been published recently in the following areas: neuroimaging, natural history and how the presence of neurofibromatosis type 1 affects it, unusual presentations, visual prognosis, and treatment with fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy.


CONCLUSIONS
The diagnosis and treatment of optic-pathway gliomas has been aided greatly by a greater understanding of the natural history of these tumors and their prognosis related to the presence of neurofibromatosis type 1. Advances in magnetic resonance imaging are helping to delineate tumor extent. Newer radiation techniques that spare surrounding tissues are being used to treat optic-pathway gliomas, but chemotherapy has become the first-line treatment modality.
Liu
Grant T
GT
Division of Neuro-ophthalmology, Department of Neurology, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA. gliu@mail.med.upenn.edu
D005910:Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D009897:Optic Chiasm / Q000473:pathology*; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D014795:Visual Pathways / Q000473:pathology*