HEMANGIOBLASTOMAS IN CHILDHOOD

The case of a 7-month-old infant suffering from a cerebellar hemangiob lastoma is reported. The literature on hemangioblastomas in infancy an d childhood is reviewed. Hemangioblastomas not frequently found in chi ldren are histologically benign tumors, mostly localized in the cerebe llum, but also in the spinal cord. They are of mesenchymal origin, alt hough their exact histogenesis is still unknown. They occur as solitar y tumors, but also multifocal as in hemangioblastomatosis and the von- Hippel-Lindau syndrome. Hemangioblastomas may induce polycythemia via production of an erythropoetin-like factor. Symptoms of cerebellar hem angioblastomas are those of increased intracranial pressure as well as disturbances of balance. Therapy of choice is the surgically total re section of the tumor. Prognosis is poor in patients with a tumor local ization in or near the brainstem. A positive effect of radiotherapy in such a situation has not yet been ascertained.