Spontaneous regression of optic pathway glioma in children: report of three cases and review of literature

Objective To explore the phenomenon of spontaneous regression of optic pathway glioma in children, and to improve the understanding of optic pathway glioma. Methods The clinical data of 3 patients with spontaneous regression of optic pathway glioma in Beijing Children's Hospital of Capital Medical University from September 2012 to June 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Results There were 2 girls and 1 boy among the 3 patients. The median age of onset was 4 months (3-5 months), the median age of tumor regression was 10 months (8-13 months), and the interval median time from onset to tumor regression was 5 months (4-10 months). One patient was accompanied with diencephalic syndrome, and the other was accompanied with disseminated metastasis. Conclusions The phenomenon of spontaneous regression of optic pathway glioma mostly occurs in the early childhood. Optic pathway glioma pediatric patients complicated with diencephalic syndrome or intracranial metastasis may have the possibility of tumor regression, but spontaneous regression does not mean that the symptoms can be completely improved. Key words: Optic pathway glioma; Child; Spontaneous regression