Moral and legal reasons for altruism in the case of brainstem biopsy in diffuse glioma

摘要

In this issue of we feature a review article by Leach et al. on Management of diffuse pontine gliomas (DPG) in children. If a child is diagnosed with the classic radiological features of DPG coupled to a history of rapid neurological progression it is current practice in the United Kingdom and, indeed, in most paediatric neurosurgical centres around the world, to not undertake a diagnostic biopsy. The most likely outcome of this disease, with very few exceptions is death within a year or less, and indeed little progress regards to the outcome of this disease has been made in the last three decades. The neurosurgeon's role, since the publication of Albright's article has been largely passive.