Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 16, 2025
Role of Diffusion MRI Tractography in Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery
Published on: July 5, 2021
Clinical and oncological outcomes in single-stage versus staged surgery for pediatric craniopharyngiomas: a
G Agresta1,2, A Campione3,4, P Veiceschi3,4
1Division of Neurosurgery, Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, University of Insubria, ASST Sette Laghi, Luigi Borri, 57, 21100, Varese, Italy. gianluca.agresta9@gmail.com.
Purpose:
Craniopharyngiomas (CPGs) are aggressive brain tumors responsible of severe morbidity in children. The best treatment strategies are under debate. Our study evaluates surgical, pituitary, and hypothalamic outcomes of a tailored staged-surgical approach compared to a single-stage radical approach in children with CPGs.
Methods:
Multicenter retrospective study enrolling 96 children treated for CPGs in the period 2010-2022. The surgical management was selected after a multidisciplinary evaluation. Primary endpoint includes the inter-group comparison of preservation/improvement of hypothalamic-pituitary function, the extent of resection, and progression-free survival (PFS). Secondary endpoints include overall survival (OS), morbidity, and quality of life (QoL).
Results:
Gross Total Resection (GTR) was reached in 46.1% of cases in the single-stage surgery group (82 patients, age at surgery 9 ± 4.7 years) and 33.3% after the last operation in the staged surgery group (14 patients age 7.64 ± 4.57 years at first surgery and 9.36 ± 4.7 years at the last surgery). The PFS was significantly higher in patients addressed to staged- compared to single-stage surgery (93.75% vs 70.7% at 5 years, respectively, p = 0.03). The recurrence rate was slightly higher in the single-stage surgery group. No significant differences emerged in the endocrinological, visual, hypothalamic outcome, OS, and QoL comparing the two groups.
Conclusions:
In pediatric CPGs' surgical radicality and timing of intervention should be tailored considering both anatomical extension and hypothalamic-pituitary function. In selected patients, a staged approach offers a safer and more effective disease control, preserving psychophysical development.
