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Congenital brain tumors are rare but can be life-threatening. This study reviews neonatal brain tumors, highlighting their varied presentations and outcomes, with some cases successfully treated.
Area of Science:
- Neuro-oncology
- Pediatric Pathology
Background:
- Congenital brain tumors are rare neoplasms presenting at birth or within the neonatal period.
- Understanding their characteristics is crucial for diagnosis and management.
Observation:
- Two cases are presented: a fatal teratoma and a successfully resected cystic astrocytoma.
- A review of 200 neonatal brain tumor cases from literature was conducted.
- Common features included hydrocephalus, dystocia, and varied tumor types and locations.
Findings:
- Analysis covered symptoms, sex distribution, histology, prognosis, and associated anomalies.
- Hemorrhage was noted as a significant complication.
- Etiological factors for neonatal brain tumors were discussed.
Implications:
- Early diagnosis and appropriate management can lead to improved outcomes for certain congenital brain tumors.
- Further research into the etiology of these rare tumors is warranted.
- This review provides a comprehensive overview for clinicians and researchers in pediatric neuro-oncology.
Abstract:
Two cases of congenital brain tumor present at birth are reported. One patient was a baby girl with a huge teratoma measuring 8 X 6 X 5 cm; she died on her fourth day of life. The other patient had a large cystic astrocytoma, which was successfully removed; the patient is alive and in good health at 2 years of age and has no sign of recurrence of the tumor. Each baby had a large head, which caused dystocia at delivery. In addition to these two cases, we reviewed 200 cases of brain tumors reported in the literature presenting or producing symptoms or found incidentally at autopsy within 2 months after birth. We analyzed these cases in terms of initial symptoms and signs, sex distribution, histologic types and sites of tumors, prognosis, associated anomalies, familial occurrence, and hemorrhage from the tumor. The results of these analyses are described in detail, and the etiology of neonatal brain tumors is discussed.