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Glioma - optic; Optic nerve glioma
The symptoms are due to the tumor growing and pressing on the optic nerve and nearby structures. Symptoms may include:
The patient may show symptoms of Diencephalic syndrome, which includes delayed growth, loss of appetite and body fat, daytime sleeping and decreased memory and intellectual function.
A neurologic examination reveals a loss of vision in one or both eyes. There may be changes in the optic nerve, including swelling or scarring of the nerve, or paleness and atrophy of the optic disk.
The tumor may extend into deeper locations of the brain. There may be signs of increased pressure within the brain (intracranial pressure). There may be signs of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1).
The following tests may be performed:
Homes LR, Munzenrider JE, Elner VM, Bardenstein DS, Lichter AS. Eye, orbit, and adnexal structures. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKenna WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Churchill Livingstone;2004;chap 70.
Olitsky SE, Hug D, Smith LP. Abnormalities of the optic nerve. In: Kliegman RM, Behrman RE, Jenson HB, Stanton BF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. St. Louis, MO: WB Saunders;2007;chap 608.