Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Cerebellar medulloblastomas in adults

  • Neurooncology
  • Published:
Neurosurgical Review Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Between 1981 and 1991, 11 adults over 16 years of age were treated for medulloblastoma at the authors' institutions. These patients were studied retrospectively. The patients were managed uniformly, and the treatment included extensive surgical resections and radiation therapy. Chemotherapy was used on only three patients with recurrence. Probable prognostic factors, including tumor location, extent of surgical resection, dose and extent of radiation therapy, and histological characteristies of the tumor such as neuronal or glial differentiation and desmoplasia were investigated. The classical form of medulloblastoma was present in seven cases while the desmoblastic subtype was found in four cases. All patients with the desmoplastic form had the tumor in cerebellar hemisphere. Gross total removal of the tumor was achieved in seven patients and subtotal excision in four patients. There was no surgical mortality in our series. The extent of surgical resection and location of the tumor had an important effect on longterm survival. The extent and dose of radiation therapy had a major effect on recurrence-free survival. Survival rates were best for patients receiving high-dose irradiation to the entire neuroaxis. Other factors such as age and sex had no major effect on prognosis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Allen JC, F Epstein: Medulloblastoma and other primary malignant neuroectodermal tumors of the CNS. The effect of patients age and extent of disease on prognosis. J Neurosurg 57 (1982) 446–451

    Google Scholar 

  2. Belza MG, SS Donaldson, GK Steinberg, RS Cox, PH Cogen: Medulloblastoma freedom from relapse longer than 8 year a therapeutic cure? J Neurosurg 75 (1991) 575–582

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berger EC, AR Elvidge: Medulloblastomas and cerebellar sarcomas. A clinical survey. J Neurosurg 20 (1963) 139–144

    Google Scholar 

  4. Berry MP, RDT Jenkin, CW Keen, BD Nair, WJ Simpson: Radiation treatment for medulloblastoma. A 21 year review. J Neurosurg 55 (1981) 43–51

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bloom HJG, ENK Wallace, JM Henk: The treatment and prognosis of medulloblastoma in children. A study of 82 verified cases. AJR 105 (1969) 43–62

    Google Scholar 

  6. Chang CH, EM Housepian, C Herbert Jr: An operative staging system and a megavoltage radiotherapeutic technic for cerebellar medulloblastomas. Radiology 93 (1969) 1351–1459

    Google Scholar 

  7. Chatty EM, KM Earle: Medulloblastoma. A report of 201 cases with emphasis on the relationship of histologic variants to survival. Cancer 28 (1971) 977–983

    Google Scholar 

  8. Choux M, G Lena, J Hassoun: Prognosis and long-term follow-up in patients with medulloblastoma. Clin Neurosurg 30 (1983) 246–277

    Google Scholar 

  9. Choux M, G Lena: Le médulloblastoma. Neurochirurgie (Suppl) 28 (1982) 1–229

    Google Scholar 

  10. Crist WM, AH Ragab, TJ Vietti, R Ducos, CY Chu: Chemotherapy of childhood medulloblastoma. Am J Dis Child 130 (1976) 699–642

    Google Scholar 

  11. Cumberlin RL, KH Luk, WM Wara, GH Sheline, CB Wilson: Medulloblastoma. Treatment results and effect on normal tissues. Cancer 43 (1979) 1014–1020

    Google Scholar 

  12. Dell S, M Cohen, M Kushner: Period of risk hypothesis after prophylactic radiotherapy. Childs Brain 8 (1981) 372–381

    Google Scholar 

  13. Deutsch M, DH Reigel: The value of myelography in management of childhood medulloblastoma. Cancer 45 (1980) 2194–2197

    Google Scholar 

  14. Duffner PK, ME Cohen, P Thomas: Late effects of treatment on the intelligence of children with posterior fossa tumors. Cancer 51 (1983) 233–237

    Google Scholar 

  15. Edwards MS, VA Levin, ML Seager, CB Wilson: Intrathecal chemotherapy for leptomeningeal dissemination of medulloblastoma. Childs Brain 8 (1981) 444–451

    Google Scholar 

  16. Faust DS, HR Tatem III, LW Brady, AK Olsen, JL Osterholm, I Kazem, EL Mancall: Radiation therapy in the management of medulloblastoma. Neurology 20 (1970) 519–522

    Google Scholar 

  17. Freidman HS, MS Mahaley Jr, SC Schold: Efficacy of vincristine and cyclophosphamide in the therapy of recurrent medulloblastoma. Neurosurgery 18 (1986) 335–340

    Google Scholar 

  18. Gerosa MA, E di Stefano, A Olivi, A Casteri: Multidisciplinary treatment of medulloblastoma a 5 year experience with the SIOP trial. Childs Brain 8 (1981) 107–118

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hope-Stone NF: Results of treatment of medulloblastomas. J Neurosurg 32 (1970) 83–88

    Google Scholar 

  20. Hubbard JL, BW Scheithaver, DB Kispert, SM Carpenter, MR Wick, ER Law: Adult cerebellar medulloblastomas: the pathological radiographic and clinical disease spectrum. J Neurosurg 70 (1989) 536–544

    Google Scholar 

  21. Humphreys RP: Posterior cranial fossa brain tumors in children. In: JR Youmas (ed): Neurological Surgery. Philadelphia: WB Saunders: 1982: Vol 5 pp 2733–2752

    Google Scholar 

  22. Johnson VG, C Wrobel, D Wilson, J Zovickian, L Greenfield, EH Oldfield, R Youle: Improved tumor spesific immunotoxins in the treatment of CNS and leptomeningeal neoplasia. J Neurosurg 70 (1989) 240–248

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kopelson G, RM Linggood, GM Kleinman: Medulloblastoma. The identification of prognostic subgroups and implications for multimodality management. Cancer 51 (1983) 312–319

    Google Scholar 

  24. Leibel SA, GE Sheline: Radiation therapy for neoplasms of the brain. J Neurosurg 66 (1987) 1–22

    Google Scholar 

  25. Marty-Double C, G Barneon: Le médulloblastoma de L'adulte (à propos d'une série de 22 cas). Ann Anat Pathol 19 (1974) 189–210

    Google Scholar 

  26. Mealey J Jr, PV Hall: Medulloblastoma in children. Survival and treatment. J Neurosurg 46 (1977) 45–64

    Google Scholar 

  27. Müller W, D Afra, R Schroder, F Slowik, O Wilcke, N Klug: Medulloblastoma: survey of factors possibly influencing the prognosis. Acta Neurochir 64 (1982) 215–224

    Google Scholar 

  28. Norris DG, DA Bruce, RL Byrd, L Schut, P Littman, LT Bilaniuk, RA Zimmerman, R Capp: Improved relapse-free survival in medulloblastoma utilizing modern techniques. Neurosurgery 9 (1981) 661–664

    Google Scholar 

  29. Packer RJ, LN Sutton, JW Goldwein, G Perilongo, G Bunin, J Ryan, BH Cohen, G D'Angio, ED Kramer, RA Zimmerman, LB Borke, AE Evans, L Schut: Improved survival with the use adjuvant chemotherapy in the treatment of medulloblastoma. J Neurosurg 74 (1991) 433–440

    Google Scholar 

  30. Park TS, HJ Hoffman, EB Hendrick, RP Humphreys, LE Becker: Medulloblastoma: clinical presentation and management. Experience at the hospital for Sick Children. Toronto, 1950–1980. J Neurosurg 58 (1983) 543–552

    Google Scholar 

  31. Quest DO, R Brisman, JL Antuanes, EM Housepian: Period of risk for recurrence in medulloblastoma. J Neurosurg 48 (1978) 159–163

    Google Scholar 

  32. Raimondi AJ, T Tomita: Medulloblastoma in childhood. Comparative result of partial and total resection. Childs Brain 5 (1979) 310–328

    Google Scholar 

  33. Rorke LB: The cerebellar medulloblastoma and its relationship to primitive neuroectodermal tumors. J Neuropathol Exp Neurol 42 (1983) 1–5

    Google Scholar 

  34. Rubinstein LJ: Tumors of the Central Nervous System. Atlas of Tumor Pathology, Series 2, Fascicle 6. Washington DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 1972

    Google Scholar 

  35. Schut L, DA Bruce, LN Sutton: Medulloblastomas. In: RH Wilkins, SS Rengachary (eds): Neurosurgery. New York: McGraw-Hill: 1985: Vol I. pp 758–762

    Google Scholar 

  36. Shuman RM, EC Alvord Jr, RW Leech: The biology of childhood ependymomas. Arch Neurol 32 (1975) 731–739

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Cukurova University, School of Medicine, Balcali, Adana, Turkey

    Faruk Ildan, Erdal Cetinalp, Hüseyin Bağdatoğlu, Bülent Boyar, Sebahattin Haclyakupoğlu & Askin Karadayi

Authors
  1. Faruk Ildan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Erdal Cetinalp
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Hüseyin Bağdatoğlu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Bülent Boyar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sebahattin Haclyakupoğlu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Askin Karadayi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Ildan, F., Cetinalp, E., Bağdatoğlu, H. et al. Cerebellar medulloblastomas in adults. Neurosurg. Rev. 17, 205–209 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00418433

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00418433

Keywords

Search

Navigation