Can optic nerve gliomas be cured?
Although optic nerve gliomas are serious tumors, they usually grow slowly, have a high cure rate, and rarely cause blindness. Most kids do well with treatment, and further vision loss usually is prevented.
Is optic pathway glioma malignant?
Malignant optic pathway glioma in adulthood is extremely rare, with less than 50 cases reported. In contrast with the far more common optic glioma, in children with neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF-2), in adults without NF: The optic chiasm is frequently involved.
Is optic glioma a brain tumor?
An optic nerve glioma (also called an optic pathway glioma) is a slow-growing brain tumor in or around the optic nerve. The optic nerve connects the eye to the brain. As the tumor progresses, it presses on the optic nerve, causing vision problems.
How do you get rid of an optic nerve tumor?
Surgery and radiation therapy are two possible ways of treating optic nerve glioma. Your doctor can determine which type of treatment is best for you. Surgery is not always an option. Surgery may be performed if doctors believe they can use it to completely remove the tumor.
Can optic nerve glioma spread?
Gliomas grow slowly but have the potential to spread into the surrounding tissues, including around the optic nerve, the chiasm, and into the adjacent brain. In most patients, with slow growth, there is stabilization of the vision. In about 40% of patients, however, continued growth may be seen.
What causes optic glioma?
The cause of optic gliomas is unknown. Most optic gliomas are slow-growing and noncancerous (benign) and occur in children, almost always before age 20. Most cases are diagnosed by 5 years of age. There is a strong association between optic glioma and neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
How common are optic gliomas?
A neurological exam will typically show partial or total loss of vision or changes in the optic nerves. Increased pressure in the brain may be present. Other tests used to help diagnose optic nerve glioma include brain computed tomography (CT) scans, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain, and biopsies.
What is the pathophysiology of Optic gliomas?
Optic gliomas are usually pilocytic tumors, and can involve the optic nerve or optic chiasm. Optic gliomas are usually associated with neurofibromatosis type 1 in 30% of patients.
What percentage of intracranial tumors are optic gliomas?
Optic-nerve gliomas Comprise about 1% of all intracranial tumors. About 10% of optic pathway tumors are located within an optic nerve. One third of the tumors involve both optic nerve and chiasm, a further third involve predominantly the chiasm itself, and one fourth is predominantly in the hypothalamus.
What is gliomatosis cerebri?
Gliomatosis cerebri commonly arises from glial cells in the brain. Glial cells support and insulate neurons and are the most abundant cells in the brain. When seen under a microscope the tumor cells resemble glial cells and involve many areas of the cerebrum.
What are the long-term risks of chemotherapy for Optic gliomas?
However, chemotherapy may also carry long-term risks of blood-borne cancers. Regression of optic gliomas has been reported after partial resection, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or biopsy, and sometimes without any treatment. Other variables such as genetic, hormonal, or vascular factors seem to have more influence on tumor behavior.