Central nervous system atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor: experience at the National Institute of Pediatrics,Mexico City

Objective The purpose of this study is to present our experience with ten cases of Central nervous system atypical teratoid rhabdoid tumor (CNS/ATRT). Patients and methods A series of ten patients with CNS/ATRT, were diagnosed and treated between 1990 and 2005, at the National Institute of Pediatrics, in Mexico City. The gender, age of presentation, clinical features, tumor localization, imaging studies, grade of tumor resection, complications, adjuvant therapy, and survival are presented. Results The mean age at diagnosis was 37.8 months, seven cases were male, and their average clinical course was 1.3 months. The more common clinical presentation was intracranial hypertension with cranial nerve deficits; location was infratentorial in four patients and supratentorial in six. Hydrocephalus was present as the most common complication (seven cases). In nine patients, the grade of resection was total or subtotal. In one case, it was only possible to perform a biopsy. There were two cases with longer survival (9 and 16 months), and their tumors were resected in total or subtotal manner and received adjuvant therapy (radiotherapy and chemotherapy). Conclusions Preliminary results, show that in older children, we can improve their survival with the subtotal or total resection of the tumor and the addition of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.