Summary
Low-grade glioma is the most common form of childhood brain tumour, comprising nearly 40% of all primary central nervous system tumours diagnosed in patients under 18 years of age. The role of surgery is limited with no affect on overall survival and its goal is to avoid shunt replacement in the case of obstructive hydrocephalus and to postpone radiation. Present recommendations are that patients less than 8 years of age be treated with chemotherapy as first line treatment, avoiding long-term cognitive and neuroendocrine sequelae seen with surgery and radiation therapy. A variety of different drug regimens have shown efficacy in patients with both newly diagnosed, progressive disease and those with recurrent lesions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
CBTRUS: Statistical report: Primary brain tumors in the United States, 2000–2004. Hinsdale, Illinois: Published by the Central Brain Tumor. Registry of the United States 2008
Janss AJ, Grundy R, Cnaan A, et al. Optic pathway and hypothalamic chiasmatic gliomas in children younger than age 5 years with a 6-year follow-up. Cancer, 75: 1051–9, 1995
Heidemann R, Freeman C, Packer R, et al. Tumors of central nervous system. In: Pizzo PA, Polpak DG (eds) Principles and practice of pediatric oncology. JB Lippincott, Philadelphia, 1993, pp. 633–81
Suarez JC, Viano JC, Zunino S, et al. Management of child optic pathway gliomas: new therapeutical option. Childs Nerv Syst, 22: 679–84, 2006
Hoffman HJ, Humphreys RP, Drake JM, et al. Optic pathway hypothalamic gliomas – a dilemma in management. Pediatr Neurosurg, 19: 186–95, 1993
Brauner R, Trivin C, Zerah M, et al. Diencephalic syndrome due to hypothalamic tumor: A model of the relationship between weight and puberty onset. J Clin Endocrinol Metab, 91: 2467–73, 2006
Lee M, Korner J. Review of physiology, clinical manifestations, and management of hypothalamic obesity in humans. Pituitary, 12: 87–95, 2009
Ahn Y, Cho BK, Kim SK, et al. Optic pathway glioma: outcome and prognostic factors in a surgical series. Childs Nerv Syst, 22: 1136–42, 2006
Silva MM, Goldman S, Keating G, et al. Optic pathway hypothalamic gliomas in children under three years of age: The role of chemotherapy. Pediatr Neurosurg, 33: 151–8, 2000
Jahraus CD, Tarbell NJ. Optic pathway gliomas. Pediatr Blood Cancer, 46: 586–96, 2006
Gururangan S, Fisher MJ, Allen JC, et al. Temozolomide in children with progressive low-grade glioma. Neuro-Oncology, 9: 161–8, 2007
Packer RJ, Lange B, Ater J, et al. Carboplatin and vincristine for recurrent and newly diagnosed low-grade gliomas of childhood. J Clin Oncol, 11: 850–6, 1993
Packer RJ, Ater J, Allen J, et al. Carboplatin and vincristine chemotherapy for children with newly diagnosed progressive low-grade gliomas. J Neurosurg, 86: 747–54, 1997
Stokland T, Liu JF, Ironside JW, et al. A multivariate analysis of factors determining tumor progression in childhood low-grade glioma: a population-based cohort study (CCLG CNS9702). Neuro-Oncology, 12: 1257–68, 2010
Gururangan S, Cavazos CM, Ashley D, et al. Phase II study of carboplatin in children with progressive low-grade gliomas. J Clin Oncol, 20: 2951–8, 2002
Packer RJ, Jakacki R, Horn M, et al. Objective response of multiply recurrent low-grade gliomas to bevacizumab and irinotecan. Pediatr Blood Cancer, 52: 791–5, 2009
Qaddoumi I, Sultan I, Broniscer A. Pediatric low-grade gliomas and the need for new options for therapy Why and how? Cancer Biol Ther, 8: 4–10, 2009
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Meister, B. Conservative treatment of paediatric hypothalamic and optic pathway gliomas. memo 4 (Suppl 3), 14–15 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-011-0310-3
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12254-011-0310-3