Tumor spread in unilateral optic glioma-1°

A group of six personal cases of unilateral (orbital) optic glioma is presented. None had complete excision of the glioma and each has been followed for a minimum of ten years. Data from these cases is compared with long term follow-up on 40 similar cases gleaned from multiple academic centers. Many of the 40 cases have been previously reported but the study extends their follow-up to the present. Twenty of the 46 total cases had tissue diagnosis with incomplete excision. Forty-one cases with complete excision are also reported, for comparison. Analysis of the cases is made in regard to five basic questions. Firstly, the certainty of diagnosis; secondly, the certainty of unilaterality; thirdly, the type of excision; fourthly, the years of follow-up and, finally, the presence or absence of new growth. Histopathologic data of the tumor type is presented together with histologic analysis of the cut proximal end of the excision specimen. Complete radiographic correlation was primarily concerned with the proximal extent of the tumor. This was done to exclude chiasmal cases in the original series and to define whether new growth was limited to the orbit or had spread into the chiasm.