Intracranial tumors in neonates: a report of seventeen cases.

Seventeen patients with intracranial neoplasms that were symptomatic within the first 2 months of life were studied. Macrocrania was the commonest clinical feature, and radiologic studies including computed tomographic examination in five of the patients, showed that the tumors tended to be large, rapidly growing, and located along the neural axis. The outlook was poor, with a high operative and case mortality. The risks of irradiating young infants are discussed, and a conservative surgical approach with careful case selection is advocated.