Sintomi atipici dei tumori del sistema nervoso centrale in età pediatrica

Paediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumours are the second most common cancers in children aged 0 to 14 and the leading cause of cancer-related morbidity and mortality. While intracranial hypertension and localization-related symptoms are typical, initial manifestations may be atypical and may complicate the diagnosis. This paper examines nine cases of paediatric CNS tumours with unusual presentations. Cases include a ganglioglioma presenting with precocious puberty, a pilocytic atrocytoma with memory loss and a medulloblastoma initially causing dysphagia. Other cases involve a pilocytic astrocytoma presenting with scoliosis, an ependymoma presenting with persistent back pain and a low-grade glioma of the optic pathway presenting with childhood nystagmus. Additionally, an ependymoma mimicked a urinary tract infection, while psychiatric symptoms in adolescence masked a pilocytic astrocytoma and a CNS germinoma. This study highlights the need for awareness of atypical tumour presentations to facilitate early diag-nosis and treatment and ultimately to improve patient outcomes.