[Clinical characters, treatment and prognosis in 26 children with optic pathway gliomas]

To explore the clinical characters, treatment and prognosis for pediatric optic pathway gliomas (OPGs).
 Methods: A total of 26 patients with OPGs, who were diagnosed and treated at Neurosurgery of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between June 2010 and November 2017, were retrospectively reviewed, and their average age was 5.5 years old. The influential factors for patients' progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed.
 Results: All patients were classified into Type II and Type III based on Dodge classification and received surgery treatment. Vision was improved after surgery in 20 patients. Twenty-four patients (92.3%) were continually followed up, and 14 patients (58.3%) received post-radiation treatment. Twenty-one patients were still alive and 15 patients' symptoms were not progressed. The PFS and OS in patients received radiation therapy were better than those without radiation therapy (PFS: P<0.01; OS: P<0.05). The postoperative visual prognosis might be related to the choice of surgical approach.
 Conclusion: Treatment of children with OPGs should include surgery and postoperative radiotherapy. The eyesight protection in surgery is as important as tumor resection.