Recurrent spinal cord astrocytoma with intraventricular seeding

Childs Nerv Syst. 2004 Feb;20(2):114-8. doi: 10.1007/s00381-003-0812-3. Epub 2003 Sep 30.

Abstract

Patient: We report on an unusual case of a recurrent and progressive spinal pilocytic astrocytoma with metastatic spreading to the hypothalamus in a 14-year-old boy.

Treatment and results: The patient underwent resection of an intramedullary atypical pilocytic astrocytoma classified as WHO grade II at the level of Th11/12 in 1997 and received local photon beam irradiation. Three years later, a second operation was necessary for a recurrent tumour at the same level. Seventeen months later, a second recurrent tumour with spinal seeding as well as an intracranial tumour in the third ventricle and hypothalamus was detected. He was shunted for an occlusive hydrocephalus and a stereotactic biopsy of the hypothalamic lesion was performed. The tumour was classified as anaplastic pilocytic astrocytoma (WHO grade III). He received chemotherapy with ifosfamide, cisplatin and etoposide (HIT-GBM-C-protocol), craniospinal radiation, and is still alive 60 months after the first operative intervention without neurological deficits.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Astrocytoma / complications*
  • Astrocytoma / pathology
  • Astrocytoma / surgery
  • Astrocytoma / therapy
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cerebral Ventricle Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Humans
  • Hypothalamic Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / complications*
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / pathology
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / surgery
  • Spinal Cord Neoplasms / therapy
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed