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.