Twenty-seven pediatric patients (less than 13 years of age) with inoperable primary brain tumors, treated with combined radiotherapy and chemotherapy or radiotherapy alone between January 1976 and December 1987 have been reviewed. Overall survival for all patients and for patients with brain-stem tumors was 49% and 43%, respectively. An increased risk of infection was associated with adjuvant chemotherapy. However, there were no toxicity that resulted in death.