Radiation therapy of brain tumors in children

The case histories of 124 children irradiated for brain tumors were reviewed to determine survival rate and functional prognosis, with special reference to somatic growth. Five-year survival rates (29% of 97 patients with gliomas and 70% of 27 patients with non-gliomatous tumors) were approximately the same as in our adult series, despite the differences in histology and predilection. Although 70% of 42 long-term survivors had active, useful lives, stunted growth was observed in 15 of them. More attention should be directed to the growth of children irradiated for brain tumors.