Search

OBJECTIVEIatrogenic tumor seeding after open surgery for chordoma has been well described in the literature. The incidence and particularities related to endoscopic endonasal surgery (EES) have not been defined.METHODSThe authors retrospectively reviewed their experience with EES for clival chordoma, focusing on cases with iatrogenic seeding. The clinical, radiographic, pathological, and molecular characterization data were reviewed.RESULTSAmong 173 EESs performed for clival chordomas at the authors’ institution between April 2003 and May 2016, 2 cases complicated by iatrogenic seeding (incidence 1.15%) were identified. The first case was a 10-year-old boy, who presented 21 months after an EES for a multiply recurrent clival chordoma with a recurrence along the left inferior turbinate, distinct from a right petrous apex recurrence. Both appeared as a T2-hypertintense, T1-isointense, and heterogeneously enhancing lesion on MRI. Resection of the inferior turbinate recurrence and debulking of the petrous recurrence were both performed via a purely endoscopic endonasal approach. Unfortunately, the child died 2 years later due progression of disease at the primary site, but with no sign of progression at the seeded site. The second patient was a 79-year-old man with an MRI-incompatible pacemaker who presented 19 months after EES for his clival chordoma with a mass involving the floor of the left nasal cavity that was causing an oro-antral fistula. On CT imaging, this appeared as a homogeneously contrast-enhancing mass eroding the hard palate inferiorly, the nasal septum superiorly, and the nasal process of the maxilla, with extension into the subcutaneous tissue. This was also treated endoscopically (combined transnasal-transoral approach) with resection of the mass, and repair of the fistula by using a palatal and left lateral wall rotational flap. Adjuvant hypofractionated stereotactic CyberKnife radiotherapy was administered using 35 Gy in 5 fractions. No recurrence was appreciated endoscopically or on imaging at the patient’s last follow-up, 12 months after this last procedure. In both cases, pathological investigation of the original tumors revealed a fairly aggressive biology with 1p36 deletions, and high Ki-67 levels (10%–15%, and > 20%, respectively). The procedures were performed by a team of right-handed surgeons (otolaryngology and neurosurgery), using a 4-handed technique (in which the endoscope and suction are typically passed through the right nostril, and other instruments are passed through the left nostril without visualization).CONCLUSIONSAlthough uncommon, iatrogenic seeding occurs during EES for clival chordomas, probably because of decreased visualization during tumor removal combined with mucosal trauma and exposure of subepithelial elements (either inadvertently or because of mucosal flaps). In addition, tumors with more aggressive biology (1p36 deletions, elevated Ki-67, or both) are probably at a higher risk and require increased vigilance on surveillance imaging and endoscopy. Further prospective studies are warranted to evaluate the authors’ proposed strategies for decreasing the incidence of iatrogenic seeding after EES for chordomas.

Meningiomas rarely cause CSF dissemination, and CSF seeding to the optic nerve (ON) is extremely rare. This is the first report of 2 cases of atypical meningioma with subacute visual loss due to ON seeding. The authors present the genetic characteristics of these atypical meningiomas with CSF dissemination. The patient in Case 1 was a 36-year-old woman with a 1.5-cm mass within the left ON, and the patient in Case 2 was a 70-year-old woman with a 0.9-cm mass around the right ON. Both individuals had undergone multiple surgeries for primary lesions and local recurrent lesions. They presented with subacute visual loss, and both tumors were completely resected. The pathological diagnosis was atypical meningioma with high MIB-1 indices and p53-positive cell ratios in each case. Comparative genomic hybridization showed significant chromosomal copy number alterations similar to the results of previous surgeries, confirming that the tumors were disseminated lesions. The present findings suggest that genetic characteristics, such as 1p and 10qcen-23 losses and 17q and 20 gains, shared by the 2 cases might be associated with CSF dissemination of meningiomas.

Object Surgical spillage has been one of the causative factors for the development of leptomeningeal seeding (LMS) after resection of brain metastases. In this paper, the authors' goal was to define the factors related to the development of LMS and to evaluate the difference according to tumor location. Methods The authors retrospectively analyzed 242 patients who had undergone resection for brain metastases. The factors investigated included tumor location with proximity to the CSF pathway (that is, contacting, involved with, or separated from the CSF pathway), the method of resection, and the use of the Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator (CUSA). Results A total of 39 patients (16%) developed LMS at a median of 6.0 months (range 1–42 months) after resection. The risk of developing LMS was significantly higher in patients whose tumors were resected piecemeal than in those whose tumors were removed en bloc, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 4.08 (p < 0.01). The incidence of LMS was significantly higher in patients in whom the CUSA was used, and the HR was 2.64 (p < 0.01). The proximity of tumor to the CSF pathway in the involved group conferred an increased risk of LMS compared with the separated group (HR 11.36, p < 0.01). The risk of piecemeal resection for LMS was significant only in involved lesions (p < 0.01), and the use of the CUSA in both contact and involved lesions increased the incidence of LMS (p < 0.01 and p < 0.03, respectively). Conclusions The authors suggest that piecemeal resection using the CUSA should be limited because of the risk of postsurgical LMS, especially when the tumor is in contact with the CSF pathway.

Meningeal melanocytoma is a rare benign CNS tumor derived from the leptomeningeal melanocytes. Although unusual, malignant transformation with leptomeningeal seeding into the brain or spinal cord may occur years after the initial diagnosis. The authors report a unique case of multifocal benign meningeal melanocytoma involving both cerebellopontine angles and the thoracic spinal cord, with associated diffuse leptomeningeal hyperpigmentation. They review the literature relevant to this topic and discuss the radiological and pathological features of this disease as well as its treatment options.

Object The authors tested the hypothesis that patients with metastatic posterior fossa lesions (MPFLs) treated with resection have a higher risk of leptomeningeal disease (LMD) than those with MPFLs treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). Methods Between 1993 and 2004, 379 patients with MPFLs were treated with resection or SRS at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The authors' primary study outcome was the incidence of LMD, as diagnosed with cerebrospinal fluid cytological analysis and/or neuroimaging. Results Resection was performed in 260 patients, whereas 119 patients underwent SRS. The median patient age was 56 years, 51% of patients were male, and 93% had a Karnofsky Performance Scale score $ 70. The most common primary cancers were those of the lung, breast, and kidney, as well as melanoma. Leptomeningeal dissemination of cancer occurred in 33 patients: 26 in the resection group and 7 in the SRS group (resection group: rate ratio [RR] 2.06, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.89–4.75, p = 0.09). Piecemeal tumor resection (137 cases) was associated with a significantly higher risk of LMD than en bloc resection (123 cases; RR 3.4, 95% CI 1.43–8.12, p = 0.006) or SRS (RR 3.37, 95% CI 1.41–8.04, p = 0.006), and there was no significant difference in the risk for LMD between en bloc resection and SRS (en bloc resection: RR 0.98, 95% CI 0.34–2.81, p = 0.98). The multivariate RR and significance associated with piecemeal resection, however, were consistent, with a strong effect (RR 2.45, 95% CI 1.19–5.02, p = 0.02) and no indication of biases associated with tumor size, location, or cystic/necrotic appearance. Conclusions There is an increased risk of LMD after piecemeal resection of an MPFL. This increase, although clinically and statistically significant, is not as alarming as previously reported and is absent when en bloc removal is achieved. Further assessment of the role of resection in a controlled prospective setting is warranted.

Object. Chordomas have a high propensity for local recurrence and progression, as well as for systemic and cerebrospinal fluid metastasis. The authors identified and analyzed a series of patients with chordomas, focusing on an underrecognized pathological entity—surgical seeding of tumor cells. Methods. In a retrospective analysis of 82 patients with chordomas treated over a 10-year period (1990–2000), the authors found six patients (7.3%) in whom surgical seeding had occurred. In five (83%) of these patients the primary tumor was located at the clivus. In one (17%), the tumor was present at the cervical spine. There were two male (33%) and four female patients (67%) whose mean age was 34 years. The seeding sites, which were separate from the primary tumor, were located along the operative route or in the abdomen where fat was removed. The seeding was diagnosed 5 to 15 months (mean 12 months) after surgery. One seeding site was present in five patients, and 17 seeding sites were present in one patient. The involved tissues included mucosa, bone, dura, muscle, and fat. After resection, all seedings were confirmed histologically. Conclusions. Seeding of chordomas occurs along the operative route and at distant locations where tissue is harvested. Early diagnosis and aggressive surgery are recommended. Based on the results of this study, the authors suggest that surgical techniques, postoperative radiotherapy, neuroradiological follow-up protocol, and even research on chordomas should be reevaluated.

Diffuse WHO Grade II glioma (diffuse low-grade glioma [DLGG]) is an infiltrative brain tumor that usually migrates along the white matter fibers. The delayed CSF dissemination of supratentorial DLGGs is an exceptional complication and is rarely described in adults. Here, the authors report outcomes in a surgical series of 9 patients with DLGGs with subsequent leptomeningeal and/or subependymal seeding (LMSS) following multiple incomplete resections.The authors performed a retrospective review of patients who underwent surgery for histopathologically confirmed WHO Grade II gliomas between 1998 and 2012 and experienced a secondary CSF spread. Information regarding clinical features, surgical procedures, histopathological results, adjuvant treatment, and clinical outcomes was collected and analyzed.Nine consecutive patients were included in this study. There were 6 men and 3 women whose mean age was 35.5 years (range 22-59 years) at the time of initial symptom onset. All patients underwent surgery with the aid of intraoperative mapping, with incomplete tumor removal because of invasion of eloquent structures. The neuropathological examination diagnosed a DLGG in all cases (7 oligodendrogliomas, 1 astrocytoma, and 1 oligoastrocytoma). Five patients had a 1p19q codeletion. Because of tumor regrowth, the 9 patients underwent reoperation (2 surgeries in 6 cases and 3 surgeries in 3 cases), again with incomplete resection. There were no surgical complications. Adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) was administered in all patients because of progression to a higher grade of malignancy that was histopathologically confirmed in all tumors. The patients suddenly worsened, and the diagnosis of LMSS was made with a mean delay of 77 months (range 27-140 months) after the initial symptom onset. Six patients benefited from salvage chemotherapy while palliative care was chosen in 3 cases. The median survival in the 6 patients who underwent LMSS treatment was significantly longer than that in the 3 patients who did not receive salvage chemotherapy (p = 0.03). Indeed, all patients died, with a mean delay between the diagnosis of LMSS and death of 11 months (range 2-38 months) and with a mean delay between the initial symptom onset and death of 88 months (range 34-144 months).Cerebrospinal fluid dissemination of DLGG is a rare but possible event. It can occur throughout the progression of WHO Grade II oligodendrogliomas, oligoastrocytomas, and astrocytomas, regardless of 1p19q status. This complication seems to appear in patients who have undergone multiple incomplete resections. Salvage therapy can be considered in patients with good neurological status. However, LMSS is associated with a decreased overall survival. Therefore, this rare entity deserves further multicenter studies to better understand its pathophysiology and to adapt therapeutic strategies.

Meningiomas rarely cause CSF dissemination, and CSF seeding to the optic nerve (ON) is extremely rare. This is the first report of 2 cases of atypical meningioma with subacute visual loss due to ON seeding. The authors present the genetic characteristics of these atypical meningiomas with CSF dissemination. The patient in Case 1 was a 36-year-old woman with a 1.5-cm mass within the left ON, and the patient in Case 2 was a 70-year-old woman with a 0.9-cm mass around the right ON. Both individuals had undergone multiple surgeries for primary lesions and local recurrent lesions. They presented with subacute visual loss, and both tumors were completely resected. The pathological diagnosis was atypical meningioma with high MIB-1 indices and p53-positive cell ratios in each case. Comparative genomic hybridization showed significant chromosomal copy number alterations similar to the results of previous surgeries, confirming that the tumors were disseminated lesions. The present findings suggest that genetic characteristics, such as 1p and 10qcen-23 losses and 17q and 20 gains, shared by the 2 cases might be associated with CSF dissemination of meningiomas.

Surgical spillage has been one of the causative factors for the development of leptomeningeal seeding (LMS) after resection of brain metastases. In this paper, the authors' goal was to define the factors related to the development of LMS and to evaluate the difference according to tumor location.The authors retrospectively analyzed 242 patients who had undergone resection for brain metastases. The factors investigated included tumor location with proximity to the CSF pathway (that is, contacting, involved with, or separated from the CSF pathway), the method of resection, and the use of the Cavitron Ultrasonic Surgical Aspirator (CUSA).A total of 39 patients (16%) developed LMS at a median of 6.0 months (range 1-42 months) after resection. The risk of developing LMS was significantly higher in patients whose tumors were resected piecemeal than in those whose tumors were removed en bloc, with a hazard ratio (HR) of 4.08 (p0.01). The incidence of LMS was significantly higher in patients in whom the CUSA was used, and the HR was 2.64 (p0.01). The proximity of tumor to the CSF pathway in the involved group conferred an increased risk of LMS compared with the separated group (HR 11.36, p0.01). The risk of piecemeal resection for LMS was significant only in involved lesions (p0.01), and the use of the CUSA in both contact and involved lesions increased the incidence of LMS (p0.01 and p0.03, respectively).The authors suggest that piecemeal resection using the CUSA should be limited because of the risk of postsurgical LMS, especially when the tumor is in contact with the CSF pathway.

The authors report their investigation on the current status of neuroendoscopic biopsy for ventricular and paraventricular tumors as well as treatment for associated hydrocephalus in Japan.Patients who had undergone therapeutic neuroendoscopy between 2005 and 2009 were included in this study. The main items examined were age; sex; localization of tumor; pathological diagnosis using biopsy; the presence, treatment, and efficacy of treatment of associated hydrocephalus; perioperative complications; activities of daily living (ADL) before and after therapeutic neuroendoscopy; and the presence of dissemination during the postoperative course.Seven hundred fourteen patients from 123 sites (462 male and 252 female patients, mean age 33.3 years) were enrolled. Localization of the tumor was mainly classified into the lateral ventricle in 91 patients, the third ventricle in 339, the fourth ventricle in 18, the suprasellar region in 75, and other paraventricular areas in 191 patients. The most commonly observed tumors were germ cell tumors in the third ventricle (177 cases [39%]), cystic lesions in the suprasellar region (56 cases [75%]), and astrocytic tumors in the thalamus-basal ganglia (71 cases [38%]). Although 641 (92.8%) of 691 patients could receive neuroendoscopic diagnosis using biopsy, the diagnosis obtained with endoscopic biopsy differed from the final diagnosis based on subsequent craniotomy in 18 patients and clinical course in 3 patients. Of these 21 patients, 7 had astrocytic tumors, 4 had pineal tumors, 6 had germ cell tumors, and 4 had other tumors. The final diagnostic accuracy rate was 89.7%. Associated hydrocephalus was observed in 517 patients (72.4%), of whom 316 and 39 underwent third ventriculostomy and fenestration of the septum, respectively. The response rates were 96.2% and 89.7%, respectively. Third ventriculostomy was required for recurrence of hydrocephalus in 41 patients (13.0%), and the long-term response rate was therefore 83.2% (263 of 316 patients). Perioperative complications other than fever, such as new onset of or progressive hydrocephalus, infection due to CSF leakage, and bleeding in the ventricle or tumor, were found in 81 patients (11.3%). The median Karnofsky Performance Scale score before endoscopic surgery was 80, but it increased to 90 after surgery. The score was thus significantly increased after surgery (p0.0001, Mann-Whitney U-test). Activities of daily living after surgery decreased due to perioperative complications in 15 patients (2.1%). The incidence of new dissemination after endoscopic biopsy was 6.8% and not high compared with routine surgical treatment.The authors concluded that neuroendoscopic diagnosis using biopsy for ventricular and paraventricular tumors is adequately accurate and safe. It was demonstrated that endoscopic procedures play important roles not only in the treatment of hydrocephalus associated with intra- and paraventricular tumors but also in significantly improving ADL. Furthermore, the long-term outcome of endoscopic third ventriculostomy was clearly favorable.

✓ The case is reported of a 28-year-old man with “ectopic” craniopharyngioma recurring in the epidural space 21 years after the original tumor was resected. Previously described cases of similar remote recurrences as well as some features of the biological behavior of craniopharyngioma are discussed. The rarity of this postoperative complication is addressed.

✓ The authors report the case of an 11-year-old boy with a malignant meningioma of the right frontal meninges. The tumor was asymptomatic, despite visible exophytic extracranial growth. Neuroimaging demonstrated an en plaque meningioma bulging into the brain. Six months after the tumor had been totally removed by surgery, an isolated subcutaneous metastasis developed at the right preauricular area of the scalp, originating at the scar left by the first surgery. After removal of this metastasis, radiotherapy was conducted. To date the follow-up examinations have not revealed any additional metastases. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of a seeding of a subcutaneous metastasis in a child with a malignant meningioma. The authors review the literature with reference to malignant meningiomas and their formation of metastasis. In cases of malignant meningiomas, piecemeal tumor removal carries the risk of iatrogenic cell dissemination even when precautions are taken.

✓ The authors present a case of postoperative spinal seeding of papillary craniopharyngioma. This 27-year-old man who had previously undergone subtotal removal of a suprasellar craniopharyngioma was admitted because of low-back and right leg pain. Results of neurological examination showed a limitation in straight-leg raising in the right side with no sensorimotor changes. Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine demonstrated multiple enhanced intradural extramedullary masses causing spinal cord compression. Pathological examination of the tumor tissue obtained via laminectomy revealed papillary craniopharyngioma, which had the same histological features as those of the previous suprasellar tumor. Several ectopic recurrences of craniopharyngioma have been reported; however, the authors believe that this is the first published report of the spinal seeding of craniopharyngioma.

✓ The case of an ectopic craniopharyngioma arising from a seed of tissue deposited along the operative track is reported. The uniqueness of this lesion is addressed. Ideal therapy and controversies regarding radiation therapy of craniopharyngiomas are discussed in light of this new variation in recurrence.

✓ It has previously been reported in a single-institution trial that progression-free survival of children with medulloblastoma treated with radiotherapy and 1-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-1-nitrosourea (CCNU), cisplatin, and vincristine chemotherapy during and after radiotherapy was better than the outcome in children treated with radiotherapy alone. To better characterize long-term outcome and duration of disease control, this treatment approach was used for 10 years and expanded to three institutions. Sixty-three children with posterior fossa medulloblastomas were treated with craniospinal local-boost radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy with vincristine weekly during radiotherapy followed by eight 6-week cycles of cisplatin, CCNU, and vincristine. To be eligible for study entry, patients had to be older than 18 months of age at diagnosis and have a subtotal resection, evidence of metastatic disease, and/or brainstem involvement. Patients younger than 5 years of age and without these poor risk factors who received reduced-dose craniospinal radiotherapy (2400 cGy) were also eligible for entry into the study. Sixty-three of 66 eligible patients (95%) were entered and placed on this treatment regimen. Forty-two patients had brainstem involvement, 15 had metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis, and 19 had received a subtotal resection. Progression-free survival for the entire group at 5 years is 85% ± 6%. Three children have succumbed to a second malignancy, and overall 5-year event-free survival is 83% ± 6%. Progression-free survival was not adversely affected by younger age at diagnosis, brainstem involvement, or subtotal resection. Five-year actuarial progression-free survival for patients who received reduced-dose radiotherapy was similar to that for patients receiving conventional-dose radiotherapy. Patients with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis had a 5-year progression-free survival rate of 67% ± 15%, as compared to 90% ± 6% for those patients with localized disease at the time of diagnosis (p = 0.037). The authors conclude that overall progression-free survival remains excellent for children with posterior fossa medulloblastomas treated with this drug regimen. Chemotherapy has a definite role in the management of children with medulloblastoma. Further studies are indicated to define which subpopulations of children with medulloblastoma benefit from chemotherapy and what regimens are optimum in increasing disease control and, possibly, in reducing the amount of radiotherapy required.

✓ The ventricular system is not infrequently entered during the course of maximum cytoreductive surgery for high-grade supratentorial gliomas. It is unclear if ventricular entry during surgery and/or proximity of the tumor to the ventricular system affects cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tumor dissemination or the patients' overall survival rate. The authors retrospectively reviewed hospital records and neuroradiological studies of 51 patients operated on at the University of Washington between 1987 and 1991. Inclusion in this study necessitated a pathological diagnosis of malignant glioma and the availability of preoperative and postoperative computerized tomography scans or magnetic resonance images. Patients were excluded from the study if they had radiographic evidence of ventricular entry or CSF tumor dissemination prior to referral to the authors' institution. The index operation was defined as the first operation at the University of Washington or (in those patients with ventricular entry) the operation in which the ventricle was entered. Patients were followed until time of death or, in the case of survivors, until February, 1992. The effect of both ventricular entry and the proximity of the tumor to the ventricular system on CSF tumor dissemination and survival rate was assessed using statistical survival methodology. There was no significant difference in time from diagnosis to the index operation between groups compared (Mann-Whitney U-test, p > 0.40). Cerebrospinal fluid dissemination was radiographically documented in 18 patients (35%) following the index operation. This occurrence was not significantly influenced by either ventricular entry during surgery (Mantel-Cox test, p = 0.13), the proximity of the tumor to the ventricular system (p = 0.63), or these two variables combined (p = 0.28). Survival rate following the index operation was not significantly affected by ventricular entry (p = 0.66), proximity of the tumor to the ventricular system (p = 0.61), or these two variable considered in combination (p = 0.44). However, survival rate was significantly decreased once CSF tumor dissemination had occurred (Cox model, p = 0.03).

✓ A case is reported of implantation metastasis occurring 2 months after stereotactic biopsy of a pineoblastoma was performed in an 18-month-old child. Although implantation metastasis is well recognized after needle biopsy of solid tumors, it has not been described following stereotactic biopsy of a brain tumor. Implications for the role of stereotactic biopsy in the management of brain tumors is discussed.

✓ The phenomenon of tumor dispersion through cerebrospinal fluid is discussed in relation to observations made in tissue cultures of human central nervous system tumors. Satellite colony formation was observed in cultures of tumors that tend to spread through the CSF. Abnormalities of the tumor cell surface, particularly a reduction of cell-to-cell adhesiveness, probably are important. Although mechanical factors contribute to the formation of both CSF metastases and in vitro satellites, they do not offer a sufficient explanation for these phenomena.

HE propriety of grading ependymomas by a system based upon histological anaplasia, and the effectiveness of irradiation as an adjunctive measure in treatment, are two of the more controversial topics related to this tumor. Utilizing material from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP) supplemented by cases from the Medical College of Georgia (MCG), we will discuss certain aspects of the classification, pathology, diagnosis, and therapy of ependymomas. Source of Material One hundred and eighty cases were available for study: 167 from the AFIP; 13 from the MCG. The AFIP material consisted of histologicM slides and in many cases gross material from which additional slides could be made along with a clinical summary. The patient population from which this material was taken consisted primarily of military personnel and their dependents, veterans, and occasional civilians where slides had been sent to AFIP for consultation. Talmadge Memorial Hospital at the MCG, on the other hand, is a general referral hospital for the State of Georgia. Cases Excluded. Of the 180 cases, 47 were excluded for one or more of the following reasons: 1. Inadequate pathological material to permit accurate diagnosis. 2. Disagreement with the original diagnosis. Most of these cases were seen before 1940 and originally classified as "spongioblastoma ependymale," they are now considered "glioblastoma multiforme" and so have been omitted. All cases in which the degree of anaplasia was such that the basic ependymal origins were not recognizable were also excluded.

✓ Three cases are reported of posterior fossa medulloblastoma in children. In each case metastatic spread occurred despite homogeneous field radiotherapy to the whole neuraxis; the secondary tumor was located in the subfrontal region. In the two cases in which operative removal of the metastasis was carried out, the tumor was found to be extracerebral and was attached to the dura in the region of the cribriform plate. The “face-down” position of patients during operations on the posterior fossa makes this area the most dependent part and therefore the most likely recipient of tumor cells shed at operation. This area has not previously been included in the field of maximum dosage for radiotherapy, but as a result of these findings a modification in technique of radiotherapy has been suggested.

✓ The results of radiation treatment of 52 patients with a tumor in the pineal region or a suprasellar germinoma are analyzed. The overall 5-year survival rate was 59%. Ten patients in whom initial biopsy confirmed pineal germinoma were all alive 2 to 121 months from diagnosis, although two developed meningeal seeding at 2 and 7 months. Twelve of 15 patients 25 years old or younger with an unbiopsied tumor in the pineal region were alive 12 to 225 months after irradiation, with a 5-year survival rate of 81%. In comparison only five of 16 patients older than 25 years with a pineal region tumor survived, a 5-year survival rate of 37%. This marked age dependence in survival rates was attributed to a high proportion of germinomas in the younger patients and gliomas in the older patients.

✓ A patient with postoperative intracranial seeding from a malignant spinal-cord astrocytoma is presented. This case is compared with 17 previously cited cases of intracranial dissemination from spinal-cord astrocytoma. Factors associated with tumor dissemination include histological malignancy, proximity of the tumor to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathways, and surgical manipulation. Hydrocephalus with infiltration of the basal cisterns also appears to be a consistent feature in these patients. Cytological studies of the CSF in this and previous cases were noted to be misleading, whereas intravenous contrast-enhanced cranial computerized tomography was invaluable for diagnosis of tumor dissemination in each case. Prophylactic irradiation of the entire neuraxis may limit intracranial metastases from malignant astrocytomas of the spinal cord.