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Desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma and ganglioglioma: a series of 12 patients treated at a single institution

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Abstract

Background

Desmoplastic infantile astrocytomas and gangliogliomas (DIA/DIG) usually present with a large size, large cystic component, large dural implant, encasement of big vessels, clinical presentation within 18 months of life, high incidence of seizures and overall good prognosis, even if tumour surgery can be very challenging at first procedure.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed clinical and radiological data of patients diagnosed with desmoplastic infantile tumours who were surgically treated between 2008 and 2019.

Results

The series included 12 patients. The median age at surgery was 91 days. The average tumour volume was 212 cm3. Cystic components were predominant ranging from 0 to 295 cm3. Active hydrocephalus was pre-operatively evident in 5 cases. Eight patients (66.6%) received total or subtotal removal, three of them (25%) underwent partial removal, and one patient (8.3%) received a biopsy. One patient died within 24 h after surgery due to severe hypotension, as a consequence of significant intraoperative blood loss. Overall, seven (58.3%) patients were reoperated on the tumour after the first procedure: 4 patients were operated twice; 3 patients were operated 3 times. Two patients presented remote localizations and underwent chemotherapy. At last follow-up, 7 patients were tumour-free, 2 are alive with stable disease, and 2 are alive with progressive disease (leptomeningeal seeding).

Conclusion

Desmoplastic infantile tumours are rare giant neonatal tumours. Total removal is the goal of treatment, but prognosis remains good even if total removal is not achieved. In case of tumour progression or epilepsy from residual tumour, reoperation is the first option, with chemotherapy reserved to unresectable or disseminated cases with mixed results, while, to date, radiotherapy still plays no role.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurosurgery, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Via Mario Fiore 6, 80121, Naples, Italy

    Alessia Imperato, Pietro Spennato, Esperanza Arcas, Onur Ozgural & Giuseppe Cinalli

  2. Division of Pediatric Neuroradiology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Via Mario Fiore 6, 80121, Naples, Italy

    Federica Mazio

  3. Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Virgen de las Nieves, Granada, Spain

    Esperanza Arcas

  4. Department of Neurosurgery, University of Ankara, Ankara, Turkey

    Onur Ozgural

  5. Division of Pediatric Oncology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Via Mario Fiore 6, 80121, Naples, Italy

    Lucia Quaglietta

  6. Division of Pathology, Santobono-Pausilipon Children’s Hospital, Via Mario Fiore 6, 80121, Naples, Italy

    Maria Elena Errico

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  1. Alessia Imperato
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Correspondence to Pietro Spennato.

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All authors certify that they have no affiliations with or involvement in any organization or entity with any financial interest (such as honoraria; educational grants; participation in speakers’ bureaus; membership, employment, consultancies, stock ownership or other equity interest; and expert testimony or patent-licensing arrangements), or non-financial interest (such as personal or professional relationships, affiliations, knowledge or beliefs) in the subject matter or materials discussed in this manuscript.

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Imperato, A., Spennato, P., Mazio, F. et al. Desmoplastic infantile astrocytoma and ganglioglioma: a series of 12 patients treated at a single institution. Childs Nerv Syst 37, 2187–2195 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-021-05057-3

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