title: Frontal transcortical approach in 12 central neurocytomas.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Central neurocytomas (CN) are rare intraventricular tumors with benign clinical behavior that typically affect young adults. Although a favorable prognosis is generally expected after adequate management, there is no general consensus on the standard of therapy. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of radical surgery for the management of CN.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between 1996 and 2010, 12 patients with CN (eight males and four females; range, 18 to 62 years; mean age, 28.5 years) were surgically treated in our institution. The initial goal of therapy was complete resection through a frontal transcortical approach, and repeat surgery was done in cases of residual or recurrent disease. The mean follow-up period was 51.2 months (range, 14-149 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete resection was achieved in all patients either with primary (nine patients, 75 %) or second-look surgery (three patients, 25 %). No mortalities occurred and there were four surgery-related complications (two events of transient hemiparesis, one transient aphasia, and onepostoperative subdural hygroma). All patients were alive with normal activities of daily living at the last follow-up. Two patients (16.6 %) experienced a single recurrence at 26 and 66 months, one of whom underwent redo-surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  For the management of CN, complete resection is feasible, effective, and safe. Repeat surgery may be a viable option in cases of residual or recurrent disease and the use of radiotherapy can be avoided in this young population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, Ulsan, Korea.
authors.forename: Eun Suk
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young Hyun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Jeong Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Shin Kwang
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Khang
authors.forename: Chang Jin
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D018306:Neurocytoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult