Recent advances in optic nerve glioma with a focus on the young patient.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Optic tract low-grade gliomas are one of the commonest category of neoplasm presenting in childhood and early adolescence. Recent reports covering their aetiology, imaging techniques, the application of novel radiotherapy techniques and chemotherapy are reported.

RECENT FINDINGS

These tumours are increasingly being seen as markers of enhanced risk in patients and their families for the subsequent development of central nervous system tumours. Modern imaging techniques are being explored for their diagnostic sensitivity and specificity as well as their ability to describe, with greater precision, anatomical boundaries in order to minimize, through conformal techniques, radiation doses to organs at risk within the brain. Increasing numbers of trials of chemotherapy agents are demonstrating efficacy in this tumour category.

SUMMARY

Visual pathway low-grade astrocytomas of childhood are the subject of diverse research into diagnostic aetiological and treatment aspects aimed at tailoring diagnostic and treatment procedures more precisely to the needs of the young patient for this tumour type.