Cystic cerebral astrocytomas in infancy and childhood: long-term results

24 cases of cystic cerebral astrocytoma represent 11% of 217 supratentorial tumors of the pediatric age group operated. Both macro- and microscopically, such tumors resembled in most cases the well-known cerebellar astrocytoma, presenting as a large cyst with a mural nodule with the pattern of a pilocytic astrocytoma (i.e. spongioblastoma of the German school). The preferential site of incidence was the temporal lobe and the age peaks were of 7 and 16 years without sex prevalence. The surgical technique consisted in the extirpation of the mural nodule, preceded by emptying the cyst, followed by opening the contiguous ventricular wall. The extirpation was partial in one-third of the cases of whom the minority underwent radiotherapy. 1 patient died after the operation while 2 others died from tumor recurrence after 3 and 4 years, respectively, both being mixed tumors (oligoastrocytoma) that were irradiated postoperatively. The follow-up ranged from 10 to 29 years in 70% of the cases. The long-term functional results of the available 17 patients are as follows: good (perfectly well), 12 cases (70%); fair (minor troubles), 5 cases (30%). 3 of the 5 cases with a fair result all had a partial resection.