Central neurocytomas in children: Clinicopathologic features and long-term surgical outcomes

Purpose Pediatric central neurocytomas (PCNs) is an extremely rare entity, and very few reports have exclusively focused on the clinicopathologic features and surgical outcomes of PCNs. Methods This study was undertaken to elucidate the clinical and pathological characteristics and long-term surgical outcomes of PCNs. Results Fourteen consecutive patients with pathologically verified PCNs were identified, including 9 girls and 5 boys, with a mean age of 15.2 +/- 3.9 years (range 3-18 years). Children tended to present with symptoms of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) (p = 0.003), an acute clinical course (p = 0.044), and a shorter duration of symptoms (p = 0.019) than their adult counterparts. Surgery was performed under the guidance of a neuronavigation system and intraoperative ultrasound; gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 12 patients (85.7%), and subtotal resection (STR) was achieved in two patients (14.3%). One child received adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) owing to the atypical features of the lesion. During a mean follow-up of 90.2 +/- 37.0 months (range 42-156 months), one patient (7.1%) with atypical features experienced lesion relapse 2 years after surgery and received RT, and the symptoms of all children were relieved. Conclusion Surgery can benefit children with CNs and ensure relatively long-term progression-free survival. RT can be administered to patients with residual or relapsed lesions.