Clinical heterogeneity of desmoplastic infantile ganglioglioma: a case series and literature review

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2012 Aug;34(6):e232-6. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0b013e3182580330.

Abstract

Desmoplastic infantile gangliogliomas (DIG) are intracranial tumors described in 1987 as benign lesions of infancy. A literature review and the clinical course of 3 patients reported herein suggest that the initial description should be amended. Nearly 23% of DIG cases occur in children older than 24 months. Approximately 40% of DIG cases require additional medical, radiation, and/or further surgical intervention, and 15% of infants and children develop leptomeningeal spread or die from DIG. Such adverse outcomes, combined with the recognition that DIG represents a heterogeneous disease, underscore the need for an expanded biological and molecular investigation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Brain Neoplasms / therapy
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Female
  • Ganglioglioma / pathology*
  • Ganglioglioma / therapy
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Male
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Review Literature as Topic
  • Supratentorial Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Supratentorial Neoplasms / therapy