Optic gliomas in children

Abstract

A follow-up study averaging 12 years and extending to 29 years was conducted in 56 children with optic glioma; 30 of these had chiasmal gliomas and 26 optic nerve tumors. The clinical and roentgenographic findings and various methods of therapy were related to the prognosis for vision, neurological status, and survival. The findings were discussed with reference to the experience of others and to the natural history of the condition. The documented failure of pneu-moencephalograhy and lateral orbitotomy to detect and prevent intra-cranial extension of some optic nerve gliomas constitutes evidence in support of the transcranial surgical approach whenever surgery is indicated. Improvement in visual acuity, reduction in size of tumor mass, and decrease of exophthalmos following radiotherapy, transient in some patients and sustained in others, is taken as evidence of the effect of this form of therapy.