title: Optic pathway gliomas: neoplasms, not hamartomas.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Optic pathway gliomas are an important neuro-ophthalmic cause of vision loss in children. Their management depends on whether they are considered neoplasms or hamartomas.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To outline the evidence that optic pathway gliomas are slowly growing neoplasms and not hamartomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of relevant studies in the literature.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors are from a pediatric tertiary referral center.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The growth patterns and histopathology of optic pathway gliomas are more consistent with those of neoplasms. Spontaneous regression, thought to be a characteristic of hamartomas, can be seen in neoplasms of other types as well as in optic pathway gliomas. Chemotherapy used in low-grade gliomas has been shown to halt or improve vision loss in optic pathway gliomas in many cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Optic pathway gliomas are not hamartomas but truly are neoplasms. Thus, patients should be followed up closely, and chemotherapies should be used when clinical progression occurs. Other more directed therapies will certainly be used in the future.
authors.affiliation: Neuro-ophthalmology Service, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. liug1@email.chop.edu
authors.forename: Grant T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Katowitz
authors.forename: Lucy B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Rorke-Adams
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D050256:Antimitotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006222:Hamartoma / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D020339:Optic Nerve Glioma / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous
chemical_list: D050256:Antimitotic Agents