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Clinical features and management of intracranial subependymomas in children

Zonggang Hou1, Zhen Wu, Junting Zhang

  • 1Beijing Neurosurgical Institute, Capital Medical University, Tiantan Xili 6, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100050, China.

Journal of Clinical Neuroscience : Official Journal of the Neurosurgical Society of Australasia
|November 3, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Subependymomas are rare brain tumors in children. Surgical resection is the optimal treatment, leading to good outcomes and no recurrence in a study of five pediatric patients.

Area of Science:

  • Neuro-oncology
  • Pediatric Neurosurgery
  • Central Nervous System Tumors

Background:

  • Subependymoma is a rare, low-grade glioma affecting the central nervous system.
  • It predominantly occurs in middle-aged and elderly men, with rare occurrences reported in children.
  • Limited data exists on pediatric intracranial subependymoma.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To retrospectively analyze the clinical characteristics and management of pediatric intracranial subependymoma.
  • To summarize outcomes following surgical intervention in children diagnosed with this rare tumor.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of five pediatric patients diagnosed with intracranial subependymoma between July 1998 and April 2009.
  • Review of clinical data, tumor location, surgical approach, and patient outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Five pediatric patients (4 males, 1 female; mean age 8.6 years) were included.
  • Intracranial hypertension was the most common presenting symptom.
  • Tumor locations varied, including the fourth ventricle, cerebellopontine angle (CPA), and left parietal lobe.
  • All patients underwent surgery with either total (3 patients) or subtotal (2 patients) resection.
  • All patients achieved good outcomes without recurrence.

Conclusions:

  • Surgery is the optimal therapeutic approach for pediatric intracranial subependymoma.
  • Prompt surgical intervention leads to favorable outcomes and no recurrence in pediatric cases.
  • Further research into rare pediatric central nervous system tumors like subependymoma is warranted.

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