Single-center retrospective review of presentation and outcomes of pediatric craniopharyngioma in Scotland

Craniopharyngiomas can be aggressive and lead to significant complications and morbidity. A retrospective review of patients of the Royal Hospital for Children Glasgow (Scotland) investigated presentation and outcomes of pediatric craniopharyngioma. The most common presenting symptoms were headaches (81% of patients), visual impairment (62%), vomiting (43%), and growth failure (33%). Eighty-one percent of patients underwent hydrocephalus and/or resection surgery within three months of diagnosis. Subtotal resection surgeries were performed in 71% of patients, and median time between subsequent resection surgeries for tumor recurrence was 4 years. At 5 years follow-up, 43% of patients were obese. Most patients (88%) acquired hypopituiarism post-operatively. Twenty-four percent of patients died with a median time between diagnosis and death of 9 years.