Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Pediatric tectal plate gliomas: a review of clinical outcomes, endocrinopathies, and neuropsychological sequelae

  • Clinical Study
  • Published:
Journal of Neuro-Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Pediatric tectal plate gliomas are indolent slow-growing gliomas that often present with increased intracranial pressure or incidentally on routine brain imaging. We investigated clinical outcomes, endocrinopathies, and neuropsychological sequelae associated with tectal plate gliomas. Twenty-six patients with tectal plate glioma were identified in a 20-year retrospective review. Clinical outcomes, treatments, endocrine function, neuropsychological testing outcomes and radiographic imaging were reviewed for possible signs correlating with tumor progression. Among 26 patients, 19 presented with signs or symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (73 %) versus an incidental finding in 7 (27 %). Median follow-up was 46 months (range 8–143 months). Six of 26 (23 %) experienced progressive disease after diagnosis. Five of 26 (19 %) required more than one surgical procedure due to failure of initial endoscopic third ventriculostomy. Seven of 26 had history of endocrine dysfunction, of which, five presented with endocrine dysfunction (precocious puberty or short stature), 1 developed menstrual irregularities after surgical intervention and 1 had preexisting pan hypopituitarism. Of 12 patients with available neuropsychological testing, eleven had at least one indicator of executive functioning in the low-average to impaired range. While tectal plate gliomas have been considered indolent tumors that are rarely progressive, 23 % of patients in our cohort experienced disease progression and required further therapy. Neurocognitive deficits may occur, while endocrine deficiency is uncommon. Regular multidisciplinary oncology follow-up, routine monitoring with MRI and formal neurocognitive evaluation are imperative to provide early recognition of disease progression or recurrent hydrocephalus and to improve school functioning in this population.

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

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Antunes NL, Tavora L, Souweidane M (1999) Globular glioma of the tectum. Pediatr Neurol 21(1):492–495

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Romeo A, Naftel RP, Griessenauer CJ, Reed GT, Martin R, Shannon CN, Grabb PA, Tubbs RS, Wellons JC 3rd (2013) Long-term change in ventricular size following endoscopic third ventriculostomy for hydrocephalus due to tectal plate gliomas. J Neurosurg Pediatr 11(1):20–25. doi:10.3171/2012.9.PEDS12243

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Grant GA, Avellino AM, Loeser JD, Ellenbogen RG, Berger MS, Roberts TS (1999) Management of intrinsic gliomas of the tectal plate in children. a ten-year review. Pediatr Neurosurg 31(4):170–176

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Daglioglu E, Cataltepe O, Akalan N (2003) Tectal gliomas in children: the implications for natural history and management strategy. Pediatr Neurosurg 38(5):223–231

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Bowers DC, Georgiades C, Aronson LJ, Carson BS, Weingart JD, Wharam MD, Melhem ER, Burger PC, Cohen KJ (2000) Tectal gliomas: natural history of an indolent lesion in pediatric patients. Pediatr Neurosurg 32(1):24–29

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Hamilton MG, Lauryssen C, Hagen N (1996) Focal midbrain glioma: long term survival in a cohort of 16 patients and the implications for management. Can J Neurol Sci 23(3):204–207

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lazaro BC, Landeiro JA (2006) Tectal plate tumors. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 64(2B):432–436

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Ramina R, Coelho Neto M, Fernandes YB, Borges G, Honorato DC, Arruda WO (2005) Intrinsic tectal low grade astrocytomas: is surgical removal an alternative treatment? long-term outcome of eight cases. Arq Neuropsiquiatr 63(1):40–45

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Pollack IF, Pang D, Albright AL (1994) The long-term outcome in children with late-onset aqueductal stenosis resulting from benign intrinsic tectal tumors. J Neurosurg 80(4):681–688. doi:10.3171/jns.1994.80.4.0681

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Griessenauer CJ, Rizk E, Miller JH, Hendrix P, Tubbs RS, Dias MS, Riemenschneider K, Chern JJ (2014) Pediatric tectal plate gliomas: clinical and radiological progression, MR imaging characteristics, and management of hydrocephalus. J Neurosurg Pediatr 13(1):13–20. doi:10.3171/2013.9.PEDS13347

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Boydston WR, Sanford RA, Muhlbauer MS, Kun LE, Kirk E, Dohan FC Jr, Schweitzer JB (1991) Gliomas of the tectum and periaqueductal region of the mesencephalon. Pediatr Neurosurg 17(5):234–238

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Disabato JA, Handler MH, Strain JD, Fleitz JM, Foreman NK (1999) Successful use of intracavitary bleomycin for low-grade astrocytoma tumor cyst. Pediatr Neurosurg 31(5):246–250

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Lapras C, Bognar L, Turjman F, Villanyi E, Mottolese C, Fischer C, Jouvet A, Guyotat J (1994) Tectal plate gliomas. part I: microsurgery of the tectal plate gliomas. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 126(2–4):76–83

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Bognar L, Turjman F, Villanyi E, Mottolese C, Guyotat J, Fischer C, Jouvet A, Lapras C (1994) Tectal plate gliomas. part II: CT scans and MR imaging of tectal gliomas. Acta Neurochir (Wien) 127(1–2):48–54

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ternier J, Wray A, Puget S, Bodaert N, Zerah M, Sainte-Rose C (2006) Tectal plate lesions in children. J Neurosurg 104(6 Suppl):369–376. doi:10.3171/ped.2006.104.6.369

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Stark AM, Fritsch MJ, Claviez A, Dorner L, Mehdorn HM (2005) Management of tectal glioma in childhood. Pediatr Neurol 33(1):33–38. doi:10.1016/j.pediatrneurol.2004.12.014

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Wellons JC 3rd, Tubbs RS, Banks JT, Grabb B, Blount JP, Oakes WJ, Grabb PA (2002) Long-term control of hydrocephalus via endoscopic third ventriculostomy in children with tectal plate gliomas. Neurosurgery 51(1):63–67 discussion 67–68

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Pinto FC, da Cunha Neto MB, Rocha MG, do Lago DV, Bronstein MD, Teixeira MJ (2011) Hypopituitarism due to hydrocephalus: case report and review of the literature. Pediatr Neurosurg 47(4):303–306. doi:10.1159/000336880

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Moin T, Bergsneider M, Vespa P, Heaney AP (2012) Pituitary function in patients with normal pressure hydrocephalus before and after neurosurgical correction. J Clin Endocrinol Metab 97(10):3545–3549. doi:10.1210/jc.2012-1978

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Trivin C, Couto-Silva AC, Sainte-Rose C, Chemaitilly W, Kalifa C, Doz F, Zerah M, Brauner R (2006) Presentation and evolution of organic central precocious puberty according to the type of CNS lesion. Clin Endocrinol 65(2):239–245. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2265.2006.02582.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Hwang SW, Al-Shamy G, Whitehead WE, Curry DJ, Dauser R, Luerssen TG, Jea A (2011) Amenorrhea complicating endoscopic third ventriculostomy in the pediatric age group. J Neurosurg Pediatr 8(3):325–328. doi:10.3171/2011.6.PEDS1137

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Abdolvahabi RM, Mitchell JA, Diaz FG, McAllister JP 2nd (2000) A brief review of the effects of chronic hydrocephalus on the gonadotropin releasing hormone system: implications for amenorrhea and precocious puberty. Neurol Res 22(1):123–126

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Klauschie J, Rose SR (1996) Incidence of short stature in children with hydrocephalus. J Pediatr Endocrinol Metab 9(2):181–187

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Shortman RI, Lowis SP, Penn A, McCarter RJ, Hunt LP, Brown CC, Stevens MC, Curran AL, Sharples PM (2014) Cognitive function in children with brain tumors in the first year after diagnosis compared to healthy matched controls. Pediatr Blood Cancer 61(3):464–472. doi:10.1002/pbc.24746

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cancer and Blood Diseases Institute, Division of Oncology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH, 45229, USA

    David Gass, Mariko Dewire, Lionel Chow, Maryam Fouladi & Trent R. Hummel

  2. Division of Endocrinology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Susan R. Rose & Sarah Lawson

  3. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Charles Stevenson

  4. Division of Neuropsychiatry, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Ahna L. H. Pai

  5. Division of Radiology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Blaise Jones

  6. Division of Neurology, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Mary Sutton

  7. Division of Bone Marrow Transplantation and Immune Deficiency, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Adam Lane

  8. Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    David Pruitt

  9. University of Cincinnati School of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA

    Susan R. Rose & Sarah Lawson

Authors
  1. David Gass
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mariko Dewire
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Lionel Chow
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Susan R. Rose
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Sarah Lawson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Charles Stevenson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Ahna L. H. Pai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Blaise Jones
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Mary Sutton
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  10. Adam Lane
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  11. David Pruitt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  12. Maryam Fouladi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  13. Trent R. Hummel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Gass.

Electronic supplementary material

Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.

Supplementary material 1 (DOCX 5753 kb)

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Gass, D., Dewire, M., Chow, L. et al. Pediatric tectal plate gliomas: a review of clinical outcomes, endocrinopathies, and neuropsychological sequelae. J Neurooncol 122, 169–177 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-014-1700-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11060-014-1700-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation