RESULTS OF TREATMENT OF PRIMARY INTRACRANIAL NEOPLASMS

Abstract

Primary intra cranial tumors arise from the brain, cranial nerves, meninges, pituitary and vessels. Astrocytomas are the most common primary brain tumors. In the recently revised WHO classification astrocytomas are subdivided into four main groups , namely, pilocytic astrocytoma, fibrillary astrocytoma, anaplastic astroctoma and glioblastoma multiforme. In this study 173 patients with brain gliomas (69 patients with high grade gliomas, 91 patients with low grade gliomas and 13 patients with brain stem gliomas) have been treated during period from September 1987 to August 1994 in Tanta University Hospital.

The medical sheets of all patients were reviewed including ,

clinical presentation, complete clinical and neurological examination • rated on the karnofsky scale, routine laboratorial tests including,

haemogram, liver and kidney function tests, radiological examination including computerized tomography of the brain, radiation therapy and follow-up.

All patients were categorized into three groups. Group I was patients with high grade gliomas, group II was patients with low grade gliomas and group III was patients with brain stem tumors. Results of treatment and principle pro ostic factors and effect on survival were evaluated. The result of treatment were assessed on three basis including clinical response, radiological response (CT response) and survival rate.