Craniopharyngiomas in childhood. A rational approach to treatment

The authors review 60 children who presented with craniopharyngiomas. Patients were treated by either 1) cyst aspiration followed by deep x-ray therapy (DXT), 2) radical excision, 3) incomplete tumor excision, or 4) incomplete excision followed by DTX. Symptomatic clinical recurrence signified failure of treatment. Of the patients treated by cyst aspiration and DXT, 50% experienced recurrence (mean time after treatment, 4.4 years), while recurrences occurred in 23% undergoing radical excision (mean time, 2.4 years). Symptomatic recurrences occurred in 78% treated by incomplete removal only (mean time, 2.2 years). No recurrences have occurred in seven patients whose incomplete removal was followed by DTX. The authors conclude that radical excision is most likely to produce survival free of recurrence. When radical excision is not possible, DXT appears to provide an additional effect on preventing tumor regrowth. Characteristics of craniopharyngiomas favoring radical excision are also discussed.