DIAGNOSIS AND MANAGEMENT OF PEDIATRIC BRAIN-STEM GLIOMAS

A review of paediatric brainstem gliomas (BSGs) treated in the Department of Radiation Oncology of the University of the Witwatersrand teaching hospital group is presented. Eleven patients between the ages of 4 years and 9 years were seen in the period 1982 - 1992. Of these cases, 9 were diffuse, 1 focal and 1 exophytic; the radiological features classifying these primary brainstem tumours are described. The survival from initiation of treatment was longest for the exophytic type BSG (72 weeks), while little difference in survival between the 9 diffuse type BSGs (mean 21,5 weeks) and the single focal type BSG (21 weeks) was found. The treatment is described and the role of hyperfractionated radiotherapy is reviewed.