The tumors of the nervous system have been investigated by many workers in other
countries about incidence, classification and pathogenesis. However only one report
dealing just incidence of the tumors of central nervous system is available in this
country. Therefore, a comprehensive study is needed to understand the status of tumors
of nervous system among Koreans.
Material and Methods
The materials used in this study consisted of 511 cases during period from 1959 to
1974. For histologic studies, the specimens fixed with 10% neutral formalin were
followed by Paraffin embedding and were cut in 5μ thickness. Sections were stained
with Hematoxylin-Eosin for routine examination and histologic classification was made.
The intracranial tumors were classified by Escourolle and Poirier (1973), intraspinal
tumors by Rubinstein (1972), and tumors of the peripheral nervous system by Abell
(1970) .
Result and Summary
Histological and clinical studies were made on 511 tumors of nervous system submitt-
ed to the Department of Pathology, Yonsei University College of Medicine during the
period from 1959 to 1974, and the results were as follows.
1. In the 511 tumors of the nervous system, the central nervous system tumors were
281 cases and the tumors of peripheral nervous system were 230 cases.
2. In the 281 central nervous system tumors, the tumors, arising from intracranial
cavity were 72.2% and tumors of the intraspinal cavity were 27.8%.
3. In the 203 intracranial tumors, glial tumors were 44.6%, meningiomas 17.8%,
Schwannomas 11.8%, pituitary adenomas 10.4%, metastatic tumors 4.9%, craniopharyn-
giomas 3.5%, pinealomas 1.5%, ectopic pinealoma 0.5%, and teratoma 0.5%.
4. In the 90 gliomas, glioblastoma multiforme were 43.3%, astrocytomas 33.3%, med-
ulloblastomas 11.1%, ependymomas 6.7%, oligodendrogliomas 3.3%, and choroid plexus
papilloma 2.3%.
5. In the 24 children gliomas, astrocytomas were 36,5%, medulloblastomas 34.0%,
ependymomas 12.6%, and oligodendrogliomas 8.4% .
6. In the 36 intracranial meningiomas, the meningotheliomatous type were 61.2%,
angioblastic type 13.9%, fibroblastic type 11.1%, psammomatous type 5.6%, transitional
type 2.3%, and low grade malignancy 2.3%.
7. In the 11 intracranial metastatic tumors, the primary sites were most common in
lungs.
8. In the 78 intraspinal tumors, the neurilemmomas were 64.1%, sarcomas 11.5%,
metastatic tumors 10.3%, meningiomas 8.9%, gliomas 3.9% and vascular tumor 1.3%.
9, In the Peripheral nervous system, the tumors of peripheral nerve were 183 cases,
tumors of sympathetic nervous system 15 cases, pheochromocytomas 2 cases, and
retinoblastomas 31 cases.
In summary, the overall features of the intracranial tumors are similar to reports in
other countries, but the incidence of neurilemmoma among intraspinal tumors is higher
than those of other countries.
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