title: Diffuse Spinal Leptomeningeal Spread of a Pilocytic Astrocytoma in a 3-year-old Child.
abstract: Pilocytic astrocytomas correspond to low-grade gliomas and therefore metastasize exceedingly rare. However, pilocytic astrocytomas are able to and leptomeningeal dissemination may be seen. What are the treatment options of these cases? We present a case report of a 3-year-old child with a pilocytic astrocytoma of the optic chiasm with leptomeningeal dissemination of the spinal meninges. Partial resection of the cerebral tumor has been performed. Since the leptomeningeal dissemination was seen all over the spinal meninges, the child did not undergo further surgical treatment. A wait and watch strategy were followed. Chemotherapy was initiated, if a 25% tumor growth was seen. Leptomeningeal dissemination of a pilocytic astrocytoma is seen so infrequently that no standard therapy is established. Since these metastases may occur even up to 2 decades after primary tumor resection, long-term follow-up is indicated. In case of spinal metastases, surgical treatment should be performed if feasible. Otherwise observation should be possessed and/or chemotherapy should be initiated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sana Kliniken , Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ameer
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alyeldien
authors.affiliation: Institute of Neuropathology, University of Duisburg-Essen , Essen, Germany.
authors.forename: Sarah
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Teuber-Hanselmann
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sana Kliniken , Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Azad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cheko
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Sana Kliniken , Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Tanja
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Höll
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Sana Kliniken , Duisburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scholz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Heinrich Heine University , Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Athanasios K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Petridis
keywords: Pilocytic astrocytoma; metastasis; optic chiasm; spinal dissemination