Unusual dissemination patterns of low-grade astrocytomas in childhood.
Low-grade astrocytomas are intracerebral lesions of relatively high frequency in the under-18 pediatric population. They often present indolent behaviour, and complete surgical resection is the choice treatment. In cases where the surgery is not possible, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may be used. Medical reports do not recommend examination of the spinal cord at diagnosis or during treatment, since the risk of dissemination of the lesion to the spine is minimal according to medical experience. We describe here four cases of children with low-grade astrocytoma with aggressive dissemination to the neuroaxis.
Rondinelli
Patricia Imperatriz Porto
PI
Department of Pediatrics, Hospital A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. patrondinelli@terra.com.br
Osório
Carlos Alberto Martinez
CA
Cohen
Marcela Pécora
MP
Novaes
Paulo Eduardo Ribeiro Santos
PE
D000293:Adolescent; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000556:secondary*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary* / Q000628:therapy; D009367:Neoplasm Staging