Long-term cure of high-grade spinal cord glioma in a pediatric patient who underwent cordectomy

J Neurosurg Spine. 2015 Nov;23(5):635-641. doi: 10.3171/2015.7.SPINE15656. Epub 2015 Aug 7.

Abstract

High-grade spinal cord gliomas are rare and carry a poor prognosis. A number of treatment modalities exist for spinal cord gliomas, but no consensus exists regarding their management. Cordectomy represents a possible option for treating these lesions; however, few cases have been reported in adults, and none have been reported in the pediatric population. The authors describe the use of cordectomy for the treatment of a high-grade spinal glioma in a 9-year-old boy who remains cancer free 14 years following his initial presentation.

Keywords: GBM = glioblastoma multiforme; GFAP = glial fibrillary acidic protein; cordectomy; high-grade; oncology; spinal glioma; tanycytic ependymoma.