Clinical Analysis of Poster Fossa Tumors

The posterior fossa tumors were reviewed from January 1980 through September 1988. During that time, 72 tumors were diagnosed, with a male: female ratio of 1 : 1.8. The distribution of histopathologic types was; 17 acoustic neuromas(23%), 14 astrocytomas(19%), 8 hemangioblastomas(11%), 8 meningiomas(11%), 7 medulloblastomas(10%), 6 stem gliomas(8%), 4 metastatic tumors(5%), 3 granulomas(4%). The most common presenting symptoms were headache, nausea and vomiting, dizziness, diplopia and hearing diffrculty. Twenty-five patients(37%) showed hydrocephalus on CT scan. For the entire series of 60 patients operated on, results were: 31% excellent, 37% good, 8% fair, 13% poor and 10% Dead. Individuals with meningioma, acoustic neuroma or hemangioma were more favorable prognostically. With survival time should be further investigated for postoperative irradiation and chemotherapy.