Intracranial neoplasms in the first year of life: results of a second cohort of patients from a single institution.

The objective of this study was to describe the presentation and outcome of children with intracranial tumours under 1 year of age, and to compare the results with a previous cohort from the same paediatric neurosurgical unit. It is a retrospective review of all children under 1 year of age presenting with intracranial tumours between 1982 and 1997, with follow-up data from a multidisciplinary paediatric neuro-oncology clinic. Seventy-five children were diagnosed during the period of study. Overall survival at 5 years was 56% (31 of 55 eligible children), half of whom are in mainstream education. Earlier diagnosis and a dramatic reduction in peri-operative mortality compared to our previous cohort account for the improvements in the results of treatment for these children whose care can only be properly managed in a specialized paediatric oncology centre.