Abstract
Involvement of pediatric neurosurgeons is essential in elaborating a treatment plan for the management of CNS pediatric tumors. The following chapter will describe various pathologies for which neurosurgical expertise might be required, whether or not a surgical intervention is prompted. The role of the pediatric neurosurgeon as part of the neuro-oncology team will be detailed. General guidelines on the treatment of specific nonsurgical tumors as well as the role of various biopsy methods (including minimally invasive endoscopic devices) in obtaining histopathological diagnosis will be reviewed. In addition, early recognition and treatment of surgical complications is an additional component of neurosurgical care following pediatric CNS tumor surgery and will also be described. Special consideration will also be given to tumoral cysts for which, in selected cases, intratumoral chemotherapy or irradiation is preferred to tumor resection. Finally, management of tumor recurrence and nonsurgical management of potentially surgical lesions will be reviewed.
In conclusion, management options of children with CNS tumors are numerous and the best treatment should be decided within a multidisciplinary oncology team. Surgical intervention should thus be considered and discussed as early as the diagnosis is made, as it might allow for long-term tumor control and improvement of quality of life. Nevertheless, each case is unique and the chosen treatment option should be individualized for each patient.
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Obaid, S., Champagne, PO., Mercier, C., Crevier, L. (2015). Neurosurgery. In: Scheinemann, K., Bouffet, E. (eds) Pediatric Neuro-oncology. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-1541-5_5
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