Central neurocytoma: 9 case series and review

Background Reviewing the literature on central neurocytoma revealed that functional outcomes traditionally have been assessed by KPS. However, KPS is not sufficiently sensitive to assess functional outcomes compared with the Barthel Index and the Functional Independence Measure (the FIM™ instrument). Discussion of other functional assessments and various aspects of central neurocytomas has never been documented clearly. Methods Nine case series of primary central neurocytomas received total or STR at our hospital. The clinical features, neuroradiologic findings, histopathologic features, and functional outcomes were listed and analyzed. Moreover, the functional outcomes were assessed using KPS, Barthel Index, and FIM™ instrument. The follow-up period ranged from 8 to 33 months after surgery. Results Patients with increased GFAP positivity or MIB-1 index greater than 3% did not have the worst scores in functional assessments. The functional outcomes of the cases presented here, including KPS, Barthel Index, and FIM™ instrument, were listed in Table 4. Most patients achieved good functional outcomes. The average KPS, Barthel Index, and FIM™ instrument were 86.25 ± 14.08 (range, 60-100), 86.88 ± 17.31 (range, 50-100), and 111 ± 17.02 (range, 78-126), respectively. Conclusion Most of the patients in this investigation achieved good ability to independently perform daily activity. Whether the high score of functional outcome was correlated with benign tumor course or 5-year survival rate remains uncertain. We recommend regular follow-up for detecting tumor growth or recurrence, although central neurocytomas are always benign.