title: [Optic pathway astrocytoma: an unusual cause of failure to thrive in infants].
abstract: Failure to thrive is a frequent cause of consultation in pediatric services. The main objective in these patients is the early detection of an organic cause, if present. We report a case of low-grade astrocytoma of the optic pathway in a 2-month-old child whose main symptoms at diagnosis were failure to thrive and anorexia. Unfortunately, despite therapeutic efforts, the tumor showed local and metastatic progression refractory to chemotherapy. The patient died 3 months after diagnosis. We conclude that diencephalic tumors must be considered in the differential diagnosis of failure to thrive during the first year of life, especially when, after initial investigations, a cause is not found.
authors.affiliation: Servicios de Pediatría, Unidad Integrada Hospital Sant Joan de Déu-Clínic, Universidad de Barcelona, España.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Aguilar Moliner
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Costa Orvay
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Juma
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Costa Clara
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Cruz Martínez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pou Fernández
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005183:Failure to Thrive / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020339:Optic Nerve Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis*