Long-term survival in a patient with supratentorial glioblastoma: Clinical considerations

Glioblastoma, a malignant tumor of neuroepithe- lial origin, is relatively uncommon in childhood, during which it accounts for 7%-9% of brain tumors. A few patients (about 3%) live more than 5 years. We report a 13-year-old girl who was admitted because one month earlier she had be- gun to present headache and diplopia. Brain computed to- mography (CT) showed a right frontal tumor. At operation, complete excision of the visible tumor was performed. Histologic examination showed that the tumor was a glioblastoma multiforme. The patient underwent 52 Gy of ex- ternal beam radiotherapy to the enhancing tumor mass plus 3- cm border, and chemotherapy with nitrosourea (BCNU). Fourteen years, 9 months later, the patient presents neither neurological deficits nor radiological relapse. We confirm that younger age, the one immutable prognostic factor, sup- ports a particularly aggressive approach to the treatment of glioblastomas.