title: Unusual dissemination patterns of low-grade astrocytomas in childhood.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Hospital A.C. Camargo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. patrondinelli@terra.com.br
authors.forename: Patricia Imperatriz Porto
authors.initials: PI
authors.lastname: Rondinelli
authors.forename: Carlos Alberto Martinez
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Osório
authors.forename: Marcela Pécora
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Paulo Eduardo Ribeiro Santos
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Novaes
mesh_terms: 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