Endoscopic treatment for deep-seated or multiple intraparenchymal tumors: technical note

Although endoscopic biopsy is a well-established technique in the treatment of intraventricular or cystic tumors, solid intraparenchymal tumors have not been considered candidates for this procedure. The purpose of this study is to describe strategies of neuroendoscopic treatment in patients with solid intraparenchymal tumors. Six patients with deep-seated or multiple intraparenchymal tumors underwent neuroendoscopic biopsy combined with frame-based or frameless stereotaxy during the one year period between October 2006 and September 2007. After histological diagnosis, all patients were treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy or chemotherapy alone. Three patients were diagnosed histopathologically as having malignant glioma, and three with malignant lymphoma. A tumor was removed completely in one patient using an endoscopic procedure. Tumors disappeared in three patients with radiotherapy and chemotherapy after an endoscopic procedure. The growth of the tumor was controlled with therapy in one patient. Only in one patient was there a malignant transformation and growth of tumor was recognized in spite of therapy. Neuroendoscopic treatment may be a useful option in the management of deep-seated or multiple intraparenchymal tumors.