[The results of treatment of craniopharyngiomas in 33 children].

Thirty-three cases of craniopharyngioma in children for past twenty-two years were evaluated by long term result, the outcome by different treatment, the effect of irradiation and recurrence rate, etc. Operation was performed in all cases. The contents of operation were as follows: total removal; 3 cases, subtotal removal; 9 cases, partial removal; 11 cases, cyst evacuation + Ommaya reservoir; 9 cases, shunt only; 1 case. Ten cases were operated by transsphenoidal approach, five cases of which were performed by combined operation of intracranial and transsphenoidal approach and extensive removal was possible in all cases. Radiation therapy was carried out in seventeen cases, four of which were treated by internal irradiation with Au-198 colloid or P-32 chromic phosphate. Overall survival rates of 5 years and 10 years were 70% and 64% respectively. The more the grade of tumor removal was done, the lower the rate of death resulted. In five cases treated by combined operation of intracranial and transsphenoidal approach, all cases were surviving. In irradiated group 5 year and 10 year survival rates were 93% and 71.5%, while, in non-irradiated group those survival rates were 46.2% and 46.2% respectively. Internal irradiation was done in four cases, the effect of which was satisfactory. Recurrences of the tumor appeared in eight cases, three of which were dead. In conclusion; 1) Overall survival rates of 5 years and 10 years were 70% and 64% respectively. The rate of tumor removal was well correlated to the outcome. 2) The outcome in the irradiated group was better than that in nonirradiated group.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)