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Brain stem gliomas: An autopsy study of 25 cases
Author(s) -
Mantravadi Rao V. P.,
Phatak Rekha,
Bellur Srinath,
Liebner Edwin J.,
Haas Richard
Publication year - 1982
Publication title -
cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.052
H-Index - 304
eISSN - 1097-0142
pISSN - 0008-543X
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0142(19820315)49:6<1294::aid-cncr2820490636>3.0.co;2-v
Subject(s) - medicine , autopsy , glioma , pathology , cancer research
Abstract The study analyzed the extent of tumor at autopsy in 25 patients with a brainstem glioma. Primary tumor in the pons comprised the majority of cases, followed by medulla and midbrain. Histologically, 48% of the tumors were glioblastoma multiforme. The tumor spread was found to be dependant on the site of origin and the grade. Pontine tumors involved the adjacent structures more extensively than the tumors of midbrain and medulla. Contiguous cephalad and caudad involvement was frequent with Grade III and Grade IV tumors. The extent of meningeal involvement was limited to those surrounding the main tumor mass. It is concluded that in the treatment of brainstem gliomas, irradiation through fields limited to the brainstem, adjoining temporal lobes, cerebellum, and proximal spinal cord would be adequate.