MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACHES TO THE DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT OF CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM TUMORS

Abstract

The symptoms of CNS tumors vary according to the location and tumor neurobiology, the mass effect of the neoplasm increases intracranial pressure (ICP), favoring seizures, headaches, projectile vomiting, optic nerve edema, compression of cranial nerves pairs, among other manifestations, which can be confused with numerous differential diagnoses. The objective of this article is to review therapeutic, multidisciplinary approaches performed with patients diagnosed with CNS tumors on different continents over the last decades, contributing to more precise therapeutic decisions on the subject, whether through clinical or surgical approaches. This study is an integrative literature review, which searched through the DeCS/MeSH descriptors “Neurology,” “Neurosurgery,” “Central Nervous System Tumors,” “Treatment,” and “Diagnosis” on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and BVS databases. Multidisciplinary involvement is essential to improve surveillance and decision-making for patients with CNS tumors. Interactions between different healthcare areas are crucial for enhancing the diagnostic process and the treatment of patients with these tumors. Imaging technology proved to be extremely useful for the diagnosis and assessment of the patient’s preoperative course. In terms of tumor incidence analyzed, it is predominantly female, and the main age group ranges from 41 to 50 years, varying according to each patient’s individual situation. Meningioma was the most frequently observed diagnosis, encompassing neurosurgery as one of the widely used treatments for various types of CNS tumors. The average hospitalization period for patients varied from 8 to 25 days, depending on the needs and personal issues of each patient.