A long duration of the prediagnostic symptomatic interval is not associated with an unfavourable prognosis in childhood medulloblastoma.
Eur J Cancer
; 48(13): 2028-36, 2012 Sep.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-22153558
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Due to the lacking specificity of symptoms making a correct diagnosis can be a challenge in children with medulloblastoma. This can lead to prediagnostic symptomatic intervals (PSIs) of several weeks to months. It is unknown whether the length of the PSI is associated with an inferior survival outcome in this population.METHODS:
To study the association of PSI with disease stage at diagnosis, tumour control and survival in children with medulloblastoma, prospectively collected data on PSI, clinical, and biological features were analysed in 224 patients diagnosed at the age of 3-18 years and treated within the prospective randomised multicentre trial HIT'91.RESULTS:
Patients with lower-stage disease tended towards a longer median PSI than those with higher-stage disease (M0 stage, 2.0 months; M1 stage, 2.0 months; M2/M3 stage, 1 month; p = 0.094. M0/1 stage versus M2/3 stage; p = 0.025). The patient group with the longest PSI had the best survival outcome (PSI ≥ 4.0 months 10-year overall survival rate (OS), 71%; PSI < 4.0 months, 10-year OS, 61%; p = 0.056). Age at diagnosis was positively correlated with PSI (p = 0.027). No associations were found between PSI and sex histological subtype, presence of postoperative residual tumour, or c-myc and TrkC mRNA expression.CONCLUSION:
Contrary to a common belief that a longer PSI may adversely affect prognosis, a longer PSI was associated with a trend towards lower metastatic stage and better survival probabilities. Nevertheless these findings do not obviate the importance of a timely diagnosis in paediatric patients with medulloblastoma.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Temas:
Geral
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Tipos_de_cancer
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Outros_tipos
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Neoplasias Cerebelares
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Diagnóstico Tardio
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Meduloblastoma
Tipo de estudo:
Clinical_trials
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Diagnostic_studies
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Prognostic_studies
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Risk_factors_studies
Limite:
Adolescent
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Child
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Child, preschool
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Female
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Humans
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Male
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Eur J Cancer
Ano de publicação:
2012
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Suíça