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Craniopharyngioma

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Pediatric CNS Tumors

Part of the book series: Pediatric Oncology ((PEDIATRICO))

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Abstract

Craniopharyngiomas are histologically benign neuroepithelial tumors that arise from squamous cell rests found along the path of the primitive craniopharyngeal duct and adenohypophysis. They frequently involve vital structures in the sellar region including the optic apparatus and the pituitary, and often lead to visual, endocrine, and mental disturbances. Thus, despite their benign histology, the involvement of various neural structures in the suprasellar region makes the treatment and management of craniopharyngiomas difficult. There is an ongoing controversy regarding optimal treatment of craniopharyngiomas. The debate revolves around the risks and benefits of attempted gross total resection as compared to subtotal resection or biopsy followed by adjunctive therapy such as external beam radiotherapy, radiosurgery, intracavitary radiation, and/or chemotherapy.

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Authors
  1. R. Du
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  2. R. H. Lustig
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  3. B. Fisch
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  4. M. W. McDermott
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery, Departments of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA

    Nalin Gupta MD, PhD (Assistant Professor, Chief) (Assistant Professor, Chief)

  2. Division of Neuro-Oncology, Departments of Neurological Surgery and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, USA

    Anuradha Banerjee MD, MPH (Assistant Professor) (Assistant Professor)

  3. Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, USA

    Daphne Haas-Kogan MD (Associate Professor) (Associate Professor)

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© 2004 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Du, R., Lustig, R.H., Fisch, B., McDermott, M.W. (2004). Craniopharyngioma. In: Gupta, N., Banerjee, A., Haas-Kogan, D. (eds) Pediatric CNS Tumors. Pediatric Oncology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-09227-9_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-09227-9_8

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-05554-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-09227-9

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