Radiotherapeutic management of optic nerve gliomas in children

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980 · Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5262656

Danoff, B F; Kramer, S; Thompson, N

Optic nerve gliomas represent one to five percent of all intracranial tumors in children. The management of these tumors remains controversial. From 1956 to 1977, 18 children with optic nerve gliomas were treated at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital using external beam radiotherapy. All children presented with decreased visual acuity and five of eighteen were blind in one eye. No patient was found to have involvement of a single optic nerve. in eight patients, the chiasm was involved, in ten patients, tumor had extended to the frontal lobes and/or hypothalamus. Initial surgical management included biopsy only in seven patients, inspection of tumor in two patients and partial excision in seven patients. Two patients were treated with radiotherapy based on radiological findings. A tumor dose of 5000 to 6000 rad was given in 5.5 to 6.5 weeks. Stabilization of visual impairment or improvement in vision was noted in 78 percent of patients who were evaluable. The ten year survival was 73 percent. Radiological evidence of tumor regression will be presented. It is our impression that radiotherapy is indicated in the treatment of children with optic nerve gliomas who have poor prognostic signs (i.e., chiasmal and/or hypothalamic involvement and progressive visual loss).

• Research Organization: Thomas Jefferson Univ. Hospital, Philadelphia, PA
• OSTI ID: 5262656
• Conference Information: Journal Name: Int. J. Radiat. Oncol., Biol. Phys.; (United States) Journal Volume: 6:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL GLANDS
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
BODY
BODY AREAS
BRAIN
CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM
CHILDREN
DATA
DATA COMPILATION
DATA FORMS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
ENDOCRINE DISEASES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
EXTERNAL IRRADIATION
EYES
FACE
GLANDS
HEAD
HYPOTHALAMUS
INFORMATION
IRRADIATION
MAMMALS
MAN
MEDICINE
MENTAL DISORDERS
NEOPLASMS
NERVES
NERVOUS SYSTEM
NERVOUS SYSTEM DISEASES
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANS
PATIENTS
PITUITARY GLAND
PRIMATES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOINDUCTION
RADIOLOGY
RADIOTHERAPY
SENSE ORGANS
SIDE EFFECTS
SYMPTOMS
TABLES
THERAPY
THYROID
VERTEBRATES