• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.76-81
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• 2006

Purpose : This study evaluated the clinical characteristics of brain tumors in children according to their location, the parental delay and the doctor's delay between the onset of symptoms and the diagnosis of a pediatric brain tumor. In addition, this study compared the relationship between the pre-diagnostic symptomatic interval and the tumor location. Methods : A retrospective study was undertaken of 45 children with primary brain tumors admitted to Inha Hospital from July, 1986 to June, 2004. A diagnosis of the tumor location was made using brain MRI. Results : The male to female ratio was 1 : 0.67. The median age at diagnosis was 6.0 years in supratentorial tumors, 7.0 years in infratentorial tumors. Twenty four cases(53.3 percent) were located in the supratentorial area, 21 cases(46.6 percent) were located in the infratentorial area. The distribution of supratentorial tumors were 14(58.3 percent) in the cerebral hemisphere and temporal lobe, seven (29.1 percent) in the suprasellar area, and three(12.5 percent) in the pineal gland and posterial lateral ventricle. The distributions of the infratentorial tumors were 12(57.1 percent) in the cerebellar vermis and fourth ventricle, four(19.1 percent) in the brain stem, and five(23.8 percent) in the cerebellar hemisphere. The most common initial symptom was seizure(37.5 percent) in the supratentorial tumor and headache(38.0 percent) in infratentorial tumors. The median pre-diagnostic symptomatic interval (PSI) was 21 days(range 0-240 days). The median PSI with a parental delay in supratentorial tumor was six days(range 1-240 days), and 30 days(range 1-40 days) in the infratentorial tumor. We immediately diagnosed most cases after visiting the hospital. There was no significant relationship between the tumor location and the pre-diagnostic symptomatic interval. Conclusion : The most common symptom of supratentorial tumors and infratentorial tumors was seizure and headache, respectively. Although, the median pre-diagnostic symptomatic interval was shorter than in previous studies, a detailed medical history and a correctly interpreted neurological examination should lead to an earlier diagnosis of pediatric brain tumors.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.7-14
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• 1992

Between August 1988 and December 1991, 24 patients with intracranial tumors were treated with stereotactic radiosurgery(RS) using a 10 MV linear accelerator at Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine. There were 5 meningiomas, 3 craniopharyngiomas, 9 glial tumors, 2 solitary metastases, 2 acoustic neurinomas, 2 pineal tumors, and 1 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Ten patients were treated as primary treatment after diagnosis with stereotactic biopsy or neuroimaging study. Nine patients underwent RS for post-op. residual tumors and three patients as a salvage treatment for recurrence after external irradiation. Two patients received RS as a boost followed by fractionated conventional radiotherapy. Among sixteen patients who were followed more than 6 months with neuroimage, seven patients (2 meningiomas, 4 benign glial tumors, one non-Hodgkin's lymphoma) showed complete response on neuroimage after RS and nine patients showed decreased tumor size. There was no acute treatment related side reaction. Late complications include three patients with symptomatic peritumoral brain edema and one craniopharyngioma with optic chiasmal injury. Through this early experience, we conclude that stereotactically directed single high doses of irradiation to the small intracranial tumors is effective for tumor control. However, in order to define the role of radiosurgery in the management of intracraniai tumors, we should get the long-term results available to demonstrate the benefits versus potential complications of this therapeutic modality.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.744-747
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• 2000

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the clinical features of the epidermoid tumor of posterior fossa and to assess the surgical outcome. Methods : We reviewed the clinicoradiological records of 10 epidermoid tumor of posterior fossa, treated surgically at our hospital between 1991 and 1996. Results : The mean age of onset was 36 years old and mean duration of symptom was 5.2 years. Six were men and four were women. The location of tumors were cerebellopontine angle(CPA) 5 cases, cerebellum(Cbll)& 4th ventricle 3 cases, foramen magnum 1 case, and pineal region extended to Cbll and 4th ventricle 1 case. Common clinical features were trigeminal neuralgia in 3 cases, cerebellar signs 2 case, headache 2 cases, hemifacial spasm with deafness 1 case, cbll signs and multiple cranial nerve dysfunctions 1 case. One CPA epidermoid had no clinical symptom and sign associated with the tumor. The surgical approaches were suboccipital approach in 9 cases and one transcallosal approach to the tumor of pineal region. The extent of surgical removal was gross total resection in 5 cases and near total or subtotal resection in 5. Two patients with CPA tumor were complicated with facial paresis. One patient with tumor located in cerebellum extended into cisterna magna had postoperative vocal cord paresis. All complicated cases had severe adhesion of tumor capsule with brainstem or cranial nerve. The mean duration of follow up was 26 months. The overall outcome was improvement of symptoms and signs in 6 cases and stationary 4 cases. During follow up, imaging study was done in 7 patients and none of them had finding of tumor recurrence. Conclusion : We conclude that recurrence of tumor is rare in both total and subtotal resected cases, but long-term follow-up is required. Aggressive removal of tumor capsule that adhesed to brianstem or cranial nerve is avoided for preventing severe postoperative complication.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.333-342
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• 2001

Adriamycin is a commonly used chemotherapeutic agent for cancer, including acute leukemia, lymphoma, and a number of solid human tumors. However, recent studies have recognized severe cardiotoxicity after an acute dose, which are likely the result of generation of free radicals and lipid peroxidation. Therefore, the clinical uses of adriamycin have been limited. Melatonin, the pineal gland hormone known for its ability to modulate circardian rhythm, has recently been studied in its several functions, including cancer growth inhibition, stimulating the immune system, and acting as an antioxidant and radical scavenging effects. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of melatonin administration on adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity in rat. Heart slices were prepared using a Stadie-Riggs microtome for the measurement of malondialdehyde (MDA) content used as an index of lipid peroxidation and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release as an indicator of lethal cell injury. Serious adriamycin-induced lethality was observed in rat by a single intraperitoneal injection in a dose-dependent manner. A single injection of adriamycin (25 mg/kg, i.p.) induced a lethality rate of 86%, with melatonin (10 mg/kg s.c. for 6 days) treatment reducing the adriamycin-induced lethality rate to 20%. The severe body weight loss caused by adriamycin was also significantly attenuated by melatonin treatment. Treatment of melatonin marked reduced adriamycin-induced the levels of MDA formation and LDH release. A cell damage indicated by the loss of myofibrils, swelling of the mitochondria as well as cytoplasmic vacuolization was seen in adriamycin-treated group. Melatonin attenuated the adriamycin-induced structural alterations. These data provide evidence that melatonin prevents adriamycin-induced cardiotoxicity and might serve as a combination with adriamycin to limit free radical-mediated cardiotoxicity.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.92-100
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• 2000

Purpose :This study was performed to determine the optimal treatment velum of Patients treating with radiation therapy for intracranial germ cell tumor. Materials and Methods : From 1993 to 1998, 19 patients with intracranial germ cell tumors treated by gamma knife radiosurgery were analyzed. The location of tumor was as follows; 9 cases on pineal region, 1 case on suprasellar region, and 9 cases of multiple lesion. 7 patients were pathologically verified; 5 cases of germ cell tumor and 2 cases of non germinomatous germ cell tumor. Tumor volume was ranged from 2.4 cm$^{3}$ to 74 cm$^{3}$. Irradiation dose was 10 Gy to 20 Gy with 50% isodose curve. Follow up period was 10 months to 54 months. Results : Recurrences were observed in 14 cases among 19 (74%) patients. Complete remission and partial remission were achieved in 2 (11%) and 10 (53%) respectively. No response was observed in 7 (36%). 2 cases were recurred within original tumor bed. 6 cases were recurred beyond but contiguous with tumor bed. Ventricular relapses separated from pretreatment tumor bed were 3. Spinal recurrences were 4. Among 8 recurred cases of which tumor volume is smaller than 20 cm$^{3}$, 2 were recurred within original tumor bed, 4 were recurred beyond but contiguous with tumor bed, and 1 spinal recurrence. Meanwhile, 6 cases of which tumor volume larger than 20 cm3, 1 case was recurred beyond but contiguous with tumorbed, 2 ventricular recurrences separated with original tumor bed, and 3 spinal recurrences. 5 cases which did not show any recurrence sign showed characteristics of single lesion, tumor volume smaller than 20 cm$^{3}$ and normal tumor marker. All of 4 cases of spinal recurrences happened in the case having ventricular invasion or lesion. Among 9 cases having multiple lesion, only 3 cases recurred within original tumor bed or around tumor bed, the other 6 cases recurred separated from pretreatment tumor bed. Conclusion : Gamma knife radiosurgery is not recommended for the treatment of intracranial germ cell tumor. It is because of small treatment volume and inadequate radiation dose that are characteristics of gamma knife radiosurgery. Tumor volume, ventricular invasion or ventricular lesion in multiple lesion are important factors to be considered for the wide field radiation therapy Tumor volume smaller than 20 cm$^{3}$, single lesion, no ventricular lesion or invasion, and normal tumor marker are ideal indications for small involved field radiation therapy. Prophylactic spinal irradiation seems to be necessary when there is ventricular lesion, ventricular invasion, and multiple lesions. When the tumor volume is larger than 20 cm$^{3}$, multiple lesions, abnormal tumor marker, and whole ventricular irradiation or partial brain irradiation would be possible and neoadjuvant chemotherapy would be most beneficial in these group.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.269-274
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• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the Possibility of decreasing the radiation dose and to determine optimum treatment volume in intracranial germinomas. Materials and Methods : Forty five patients with pathologically-verified or presumed germinomas by a radiosensitivity test who had been treated with radiotherapy (RT) alone between 1971 and 1992 were retrospectively analyzed. The average age was 17.2 years with 68.9$\%$ of the patients being between the ages of 10$\~$20. The male and female ratio was 2.2:1. The locations of the primary tumors were at the pineal regions in 14 patients; the suprasellar regions in 12 patients; and multiple sites in 12 patients. Treatment volumes varied from a small local field (10) to the whole brain (7) or entire neuroaxis irradiation(28). All the cases after 1982 received craniospinal irradiation (CSI). Radiation doses were 41-59 Gy (median 48.5 Gy) to the primary tumor site and 19.5$\~$36 Gy (median 24 Gy) to the neuroaxis. The median follow-up period was 82 months with a range of 2$\~$260 months. Results : All the patients showed complete response after RT. Four patients sufferred from recurrence 14, 65, 76, and 170 months after RT, respectively, and two patients died with intercurrent disease. One of four recurrent cases was salvaged by re-irradiation. Therefore, a 5 and 10 year overall suNival was 95.3$\%$ and 84.7 $\%$ respectively. Five and ten year disease-free survival was 97.6 $\%$ and 88.8 $\%$ respectively. All the recurrences occurred in the patients who received local RT (3/10) or whole brain RT (1/7) with a radiation dose of 48-50 Gy. None of the patients who received CSI suffered recurrence. There was no recurrence among the 15 patients who received $\leq$45 Gy to the primary site and the 18 patients who received $\leq$24 Gy (6 patients received 19.5 Gy) to the neuroaxis. Conclusion : CSI is recommended for the treatment of intracranial germinomas. The radiation dose can be safely decreased to $\leq$45 Gy on a primay tumor site and 19.5 Gy on the spine.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.93-99
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• 2002

Purpose : We intended to decrease late CNS reaction after radical radiotherapy for an intracranial germinoma by using combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy and involved-field radiotherapy. The efficacy in terms of its acute toxicity and short-term relapse patterns was analyzed. Materials and Methods : Eighteen patients were treated with combined neoadjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy between 1995 and 2001. The chemotherapy regimen used was the Children's Cancer Group (CCG) 9921A (cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, VP-16, vincristine) for 5 patients younger than 16 years, BEP (bleomycin, VP-16, cisplatin) for 12 patients, and EP (VP-16, cisplatin) for 1 patient. The radiotherapy covered the whole craniospinal axis for 5 patients, the whole brain for 1, and the partial brain (involved field) for 12. the primary lesion received tumour doses between 3,960 and 5,400 cGy. Results : The male to female ratio was 16:2 and the median age was 16 years old. The tumors were located in the pineal gland in 12 patients, in the suprasellar region in 1, in the basal ganglia In 1, in the thalamus in 1. Three patients had multiple lesions and ventricular seedings were shown at MRI. In 3 patients, tumor cells were detected in the cerebrospinal fluid and MRI detected a spinal seeding in 2 patients. The response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was complete remission in 5 patients, partial remission in 12, and no response in 1. However, after radiotherapy, all except 1 patient experienced complete remission. The toxicity during or after chemotherapy greater than or equal to grade III was remarkable; hematologic toxicity was observed in 11 patients, liver toxicity in none, kidney toxicity in none, and gastrointestinal toxicity in one. One patient suffered from bleomycin-induced pneumonitis. Radiotherapy was therefore stopped and the patient eventually died of respiratory failure. The other 17 are alive without any evidence of disease or relapse during an average of 20 months follow-up. Conclusion : A high response rate and disease control was experienced, which was the same as observed other studies and the morbidity from chemotherapy-induced toxicity was similar. With these results, the results from adjuvant chemotherapy and involved-field radiotherapy cannot be concluded to be equal to those from extended-field radiotherapy. The long term follow-up study on later complications are required in order to draw definite conclusions on the optimal management with minimum side effects.