Essentials and pitfalls in the treatment of CNS hemangioblastomas and von Hippel-Lindau disease.

Hemangioblastomas are rare CNS tumors, which are mostly located in the posterior fossa or spinal cord and occasionally in spinal nerves. They can occur sporadically or as a component tumor of von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) disease, an autosomal dominant tumor syndrome. The limited awareness of several pitfalls in the therapy of these rare lesions results in delayed or suboptimal treatment for many of these patients, especially those with VHL disease. The University of Freiburg serves as a reference center for patients with VHL disease and hemangioblastomas. The current therapeutic strategies for hemangioblastoma patients and typical pitfalls are presented here.