title: Suprasellar pilocytic astrocytoma: one national centre's experience.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pilocytic astrocytomas in the supratentorial compartment make up 20 % of all brain tumours in children with only 5 % of these arising in the suprasellar region. Optic pathway gliomas or suprasellar gliomas are often seen in neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) patients. Given their location, suprasellar pilocytic astrocytomas are challenging to manage surgically with high morbidity rates from surgical resection. We assess our cohort of patients with suprasellar pilocytic astrocytoma and document our experience.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective review of patients diagnosed with suprasellar glioma between 2000-October 2012. We included patients diagnosed with optic pathway glioma based on radiological features (with or without biopsy) and those who had a biopsy confirming pilocytic astrocytoma.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-three patients included (sporadic tumours 24 and NF1 related 29). Fifteen sporadic and four NF1 patients were biopsied. Twelve sporadic and 13 NF1 patients were initially treated with chemotherapy while only 1 patient had radiotherapy initially. Progression was noted in 58 % of the sporadic group and 24 % of the NF1 group. The only significant factor for progression was NF1 status (p = 0.026).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Management should be guided by individual patient circumstance. In our cohort, chemotherapy did not significantly improve progression free survival; however, NF1 status significantly correlated with the decreased progression.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatric Neurosurgery, Children's University Hospital, Temple Street, Dublin 1, Ireland, fadzi411@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tafadzwa
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Mandiwanza
authors.forename: Chandrasekaran
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaliaperumal
authors.forename: Ayman
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Khalil
authors.forename: Muhammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sattar
authors.forename: Darach
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Crimmins
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Caird
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011878:Radiotherapy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents