title: Optic pathway gliomas in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) are considered relatively benign pediatric tumors. Adult patients with OPG can be divided into 2 groups: adult patients with tumors diagnosed in childhood and adult patients diagnosed during adulthood.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To characterize the clinical course of adult patients with OPG.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively collected clinical and imaging data of all adult OPG patients monitored in our medical center between 1990 and 2012.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-two adult patients were included. Age at diagnosis varied widely (6 months-66 years), as did age at last follow-up (18-74 years). Ten patients were diagnosed at adulthood and 12 in childhood. Of the patients diagnosed at childhood, 6 had radiological progression during childhood, and 3 of those patients suffered visual impairment. From this group, 1 patient had further progression during adulthood accompanied by additional visual decline, and 2 patients had additional visual decline during adulthood despite no signs of progression. Of the 6 patients whose tumors were stable during childhood, all 6 remained stable during adulthood. Of 10 patients diagnosed at adulthood, 6 patients suffered visual deterioration; in 5 of them, a concomitant progression was noted. Two patients were diagnosed with high-grade gliomas.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  OPGs may be active during childhood or adulthood. Those patients who experienced anatomic activity during childhood are prone to continue experiencing active disease during adulthood. A significant percentage of patients diagnosed with low-grade OPG at adulthood may suffer progression, visual decline, or both.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  NF1, neurofibromatosis 1OPG, optic pathway gliomas.
authors: *Division of Neurosurgery, ‡Gilbert Israeli Neurofibromatosis Center, §Neuro-Oncology Service, ¶Pediatric Radiology Unit, ‖Pathology, and #Neuro-Ophthalmology Unit, Tel-Aviv Medical Center, and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors: Ben
authors: B
authors: Shofty
authors: Shlomi
authors: S
authors: Constantini
authors: Felix
authors: F
authors: Bokstein
authors: Zvi
authors: Z
authors: Ram
authors: Liat
authors: L
authors: Ben-Sira
authors: Sigal
authors: S
authors: Freedman
authors: Gilad
authors: G
authors: Vainer
authors: Anat
authors: A
authors: Kesler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020339:Optic Nerve Glioma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D019574:Optic Nerve Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult