Pediatric CNS Tumors

Nalin Gupta, Anuradha Banerjee, Daphne Haas-Kogan, eds. Berlin: Springer: 2004. 283 pages, 108 illustrations, $129.

Brain tumors represent the most common solid cancer in children and cause more cancer deaths then any other childhood cancer. Despite these facts, few comprehensive texts are dedicated to the topic of central nervous system tumors in children. This text, edited by the University of California, San Francisco Neuro-Oncology group, long recognized as one of the foremost comprehensive brain tumor centers in the United States, brings together experts in the fields of pediatric neurosurgery, pediatric oncology, and radiation therapy to provide a thoughtful overview. Pediatric CNS Tumors represents a welcome addition to the literature and will be an excellent resource for any professional involved in the care of children with cancer.

This text takes on the global topic of CNS tumors of children by dividing the subject matter sensibly by tumor type or location, as appropriate, as well as selected special topics. The chapters that cover tumors by location include supratentorial gliomas, brain stem gliomas, intramedullary spinal cord tumors; those organized by histology include ependymoma, craniopharyngioma, embryonal, neuronal, and choroid plexus tumors. The editors have thoughtfully divided each of these chapters in an identical fashion, and these subsections are identified in the table of contents for ease of reference. The chapter subsections include epidemiology, pathology, clinical features, imaging, treatment, and outcome. The treatment portion of each chapter is then further divided into surgical indications, techniques, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. By necessity, these subsections are covered with a concise overview and appropriate references. In addition, there are chapters on imaging, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, surgical techniques, and the phakomatoses.

The chapters are well illustrated with appropriate pathologic micrographs, representative diagnostic images, and informative tables. Figures and tables are accompanied by legends in contrasting colors and a readable font that complements the text. The images are, with a few notable exceptions, of excellent quality.

The shortcomings of this textbook are few. It is, as a survey book, not intended to be the authoritative text on imaging, surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy for pediatric CNS tumors. As a neurosurgeon, I found the sections on surgery thin but concise and a good starting point for a medical student or junior resident. I’m sure that neuroradiologists and medical or radiation oncologists would feel similarly about the material covering their respective disciplines. It was these very sections, which are outside of my specialty, that I enjoyed the most. In addition, it is safe to say this text has a bit of an institutional slant; two thirds of the 28 contributors are from the University of California, San Francisco. Despite these minor drawbacks, I think this textbook will be a well-received addition to the literature that I will enjoy having in my library.

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