[Clinical pathological study of craniopharyngioma. Fifteen years at the National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery "Manuel Velasco Suárez"].

Background: Craniopharyngioma is a sellar region benign cyst It's frequency ranges from 1.2% to 4.6% of all brain tumors.

Objective: To carry out a clinical pathological correlation of craniopharyngioma among adults and describe the tumor's biological characteristics.

Methods: We included 115 craniopharyngiomas; 100 were adamantimomatous and 15 were papillary type. Patient's age range was 15-90 years (mean 52.5 yrs); 54 (47%) were males and 61 (53%) females. The most frequent location was the supraselar region in 49 (42.6%) of cases. Total exeresis was performed in 72 patients (62.6%) and partial exeresis in 43 (37.4%).

Results: We noted a recurrence among 50 patients (43%), of which 5/15 were papillary and 45/100 adamantinomatous. The mean patient age for recurrent tumors was 50.46+/-14.13yrs and 48.65+/-11.95 for non recurrent tumors. Thirteen patients died (11.3%). We observed a statistical correlation between recurrence, exeresis (p=0.014), and death (p=0.047). Follow-up was longer among females than males and in suprasellar tumor location, papillary type, external epithelium cysts and laxo stellate reticulum.

Conclusions: However a good prognostic factor in craniopharyngiomas was observed in older female patients with complete exeresis, small tumors, external epithelium cysts, edematous stroma, inflammation, and absence of atypical cell and mitosis.