MANAGEMENT AND PROGNOSIS OF CEREBELLAR ASTROCYTOMA

Abstract

Cerebellar astrocytoma of childhood is universally known as the most benign glioma. This tumor is uncommon in adults, in whom it is more often associated with anaplastic changes than in children. The most common astrocytic neoplasm of the cerebellum is the benign juvenile cerebellar astrocytoma. Patients with this tumor have an extremely favourable prognosis.

Despite the frequency of those lesions, there are continuing differences of opinion concerning their classification starting from Kernahan Classification (1949) to the World Health Organization Classification, in which those tumors were classified into three grades, astrocytoma (grade ll), anaplastic astrocytoma (grade III), while grade I is not applied to low grade type. It is reversed for two special categories: the juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma and the subependymal giant cell astrocytoma.

The clinical presentation in patients with cerebellar astrocytoma is related to intracranial hypertension, and •their clinical signs were related to the location of the tumor.