5-ALA fluorescence-assisted surgery in pediatric brain tumors: Report of three cases and review of the literature

Abstract

5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) has been used for the last 5 years to increase the extent of resection in adult brain tumors, mostly glioblastomas, but it is not approved yet as standard adjuvant treatment in the pediatric population.

We report three different cases of pediatric brain tumors (two glioblastomas and one medulloblastoma) recently operated using 5-ALA fluorescence guidance, highlighting how useful it is in pediatric high-grade glioma (but not in medulloblastoma) also and confirming the lack of 5-ALA-related side effects. The first glioma was a recurrent GBM, whilst the second was a primary tumor. In all children, 5-ALA was administrated after discussing its use, including pros and cons, with the parents.

5-ALA fluorescence was a very useful tool to better identify tumor tissue and achieve gross-total tumor resection in GBMs, as confirmed by postoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). In the medulloblastoma case no useful 5-ALA fluorescence was identified. No hematological or dermatological complications nor other side effects related to use of 5-ALA were observed. We submit that 5-ALA fluorescence guided surgery can be safe and useful in pediatric high-grade glioma, although its use in children still remains an off-label indication and requires validation through larger studies.

Keywords::

• 5-aminolevulinic acid
• children
• fluorescence
• glioma
• medulloblastoma
• off-label drug
• paediatric
• safety

Declaration of interest: The authors report no declarations of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.

The Authors declare that no funding has been or will be received from any grant-giving organization in conjunction with the generation of this manuscript.

This paper has not been submitted to other journals for publication; however, a short summary of it has been presented as poster at the 62° Italian Congress of Neurosurgery, 10–12 October 2013, Palermo, Italy.