RECURRENCE OF MEDULLOBLASTOMA - VIOLATION OF COLLINS LAW AFTER 2 DECADES

BACKGROUND Medulloblastoma is a common tumor of childhood arising in t he posterior fossa. The concept of a child with an embryonal tumor sur viving the age of diagnosis plus 9 months as the period of risk for re currence (Collins' Law) has been applied to medulloblastomas. This rai ses the question of ''when should follow-up stop for a patient with th is type of tumor?'' METHODS We present a case report of a patient with the longest documented exception to Collins' Law for medulloblastoma. RESULTS The longest documented exception to Collins' Law, a medullobl astoma recurring 20 years and 8 months after the period of risk for re currence is presented. Both the site of recurrence and the histopathol ogy were identical to the original tumor. CONCLUSION We present the lo ngest documented exception to Collins' Law, to emphasize that even aft er decades the term ''cure'' should only be used cautiously. (C) 1997 by Elsevier Science Inc.