[Brain tumors in nursing infants].

The purpose of this study was to determine the anatomical-pathological distribution of brain tumors in children under two years of age and their clinical characteristics (age, sex, time span from the start of symptoms or signs to the time the tumor was diagnosed, main clinical manifestations, evolution and prognosis). From 1981 to 1989, 16 children with brain tumors, under two years of age, were studied. The tumors arose in 13 patients during first year of life and during the second, in the remaining three. In 50% of the patients, the tumors were supratentorial. The histological diagnosis was made in all cases, finding the ependymoma the most frequent tumor, followed by the astrocytoma and other tumors: teratoma, choroid plexi papilloma. The increase in size was within the cephalic perimeter, with a risen fontanelle, irritability, vomiting and convulsive episodes, as main clinical manifestations. In 15 of the patients a partial or total resection of the tumor was performed, 6 were given radiotherapy and 2 chemotherapy. The prognosis correlated with the greatest surgical risk, the anatomical-pathological characteristics and the lateness in its diagnosis. We emphasize the greater morbi-mortality rate with respect to other pediatric ages.