Medulloblastoma. Period of risk reviewed

• Published in: Cancer Vol. 55; no. 1; pp. 186 - 189
• Main Authors: Latchaw, John P., Hahn, Joseph F., Moylan, David J., Humphries, Robin, Jr, John Mealey
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 01.01.1985; Wiley-Liss
• Subjects: Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Cerebellar Neoplasms - mortality; Cerebellar Neoplasms - therapy; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Medulloblastoma - mortality; Medulloblastoma - therapy; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Neurology; Risk; Time Factors; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses; Cerebellum; Human; Intracranial; Recurrence; Nervous system diseases; Neurospongioma; Tumor; Child; Survival
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/1097-0142(19850101)55:1<186::AID-CNCR2820550129>3.0.CO;2-X

Collins postulated that patients with Wilms' tumor surviving for a period equal to their age at diagnosis plus 9 months were no longer at risk for a recurrence. Although this no longer holds for Wilms' tumor, it has been applied to patients with medulloblastoma. Case histories of patients who survived a period of risk designated by Collins' rule and later developed a histologically confirmed recurrent medulloblastoma are discussed. Reported cases violating Collins' rule constitute less than 2% of all medulloblastomas. The continued use of Collins' rule is advocated. Patients who have survived this period of risk, are neurologically stable, and have a negative computerized tomography (CT) head scan are exceedingly unlikely to develop a recurrent medulloblastoma.