Abstract
Brain tumors in infants present special diagnostic and therapeutic challenges.
To figure out the clinical features, pathological classification of the tumors
and the treatment outcome of infantile brain tumors, 458 children (age<16) with
brain tumors were reviewed retrospectively. Among them 21 cases (4.6%) were
diagnosed during the first 12 months of life. Two tumors were definitely of
congenital origin. The majority of infants with brain tumors presented with
increased intracranial pressure. Fourteen tumors were located at the
supratentorial area. Sixteen cases had neuroepithelial tumors; astrocytoma
(optic pathway), supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) and
medulloblastoma were found in three cases each. There were two treatment-related
mortalities. Compared with the outcomes in older children, the treatment outcome
was poorer in medulloblastoma and the optic pathway glioma which showed a higher
growth potential. Because of the limited application of postoperative adjuvant
therapy, radical surgical removal played a more important role in this age
group. The prognosis of patients in whom the tumors could not be totally
removed, largely depended on the pathological malignancy of the tumors. Though
the treatment outcome was not always dismal, immaturity of the brain, higher
growth potential, perioperative risks, limitations in adjuvant therapy, and
pessimistic attitude on the part of parents made management more challenging.