Brain tumors in the first three years of life: a review of twenty cases.
OBJECTIVE
To review the clinical and neuropathological findings as well as the type of therapy and outcome in 20 infants under 3 years-old with central nervous system (CNS) tumor. They were treated at the Department of Neurology, "Hospital das Clínicas" University of São Paulo Medical School, from January 1997 to May 2001.


RESULTS
Astrocytoma was the most common histological type (n=7), followed by ependymoma (n=3), medulloblastoma (n=2), craniopharyngioma (n=2) and desmoplastic ganglioglioma (n=2). The location of the tumor was predominantly supratentorial. Mean follow-up time was 20.2 months with recurrence in 7 cases. For each type of tumor we have emphasized the treatment currently recommended.


CONCLUSIONS
Although follow-up time is not sufficient for analyzing survival, a trend of improvement in prognosis was noted, compared to another series of cases from our Institution that had been evaluated before 1990.
Espíndola
Adriana Avila de
AA
Neurology Department, Medical School, University of São Paulo, Avenida Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar 255, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. adrianaespindola@uol.com.br
Matushita
Hamilton
H
Pimenta
Juliana Martins
JM
Fernandes
Ana Cristina da Silva
AC
Rosemberg
Sérgio
S
Reed
Umbertina Conti
UC
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome