Medulloblastoma in adults: Clinical observations on a series of 29 cases

Abstract

Report of symptoms, neurological signs, radiological findings, operative results and post-operative survival of 29 patients, with an age range of 16 to 57 years, suffering from cerebellar medulloblastoma. The data of this series and those available in the literature, show that in adults medulloblastomas are more often located in one cerebellar hemisphere. Preoperative history is usually short, though definitely longer than in children. The principal symptoms are those of intracranial hypertension. Owing to their different localisation, medulloblastomas in adults often give rise to unilateral cerebellar syndromes. Clinical and radiological examination reveal the tumour location without difficulty but are of little help in the diagnosis of kind. Operative mortality does not differ, on the whole, as between adults and children, but in adults postoperative survival is definitely longer. Radiotherapy is as effective in adults as in children.