[Surgical treatment of tumors of the central region of brain in children: analysis of own material and review of the literature]. / Leczenie operacyjne nowotworów obszaru srodkowego mózgu u dzieci--analiza materialu wlasnego i przeglad pismiennictwa.

ABSTRACT

UNLABELLED AIM OF THIS PAPER Is to present our results of surgical treatment of central region tumors in children and to determine prognostic factors for patients' survival. METHOD: Retrospective analysis of medical records, radiographies and histopathological specimens of patients treated at the Dept. of Neurosurgery with the diagnosis of central region tumor and review of questionnaires mailed to the patients' parents. The statistical analysis was performed using the "Statistica.pl" software. MATERIAL: From January 1980 to March 2003, 114 such children were treated (mean age--8.05 years, mean follow-up time--38.4 months). In the subgroup of benign tumors (n=70), 70% of children are still alive 21.4% are dead and no data are available for the remaining 8.5% (mean survival time--23 months). In the subgroup of malignant tumors (n=12), 33.3% of patients are still alive and 66.6% are dead (mean survival time--14.2 months). In the group treated surgically (total or partial resection) (n=35), 71.4% of children are still alive, 17.1% are dead and no data are available in 11.4% of cases (mean survival time--24 months). In the group of children who underwent palliative procedures only (n=47), 59.5% are still alive, 27% are dead and no data are available for the remaining 12.7% (mean survival time--18.3 months). The statistical analysis revealed highly significant differences in the survival of children dependent on the tumor grade (p=0.00059) and the extent of resection (p=0.00825). CONCLUSIONS: Tumors of the central region of brain in children are highly heterogenous, so in every case the histological diagnosis should be obtained. Prognostic factors are the degree of histologic malignancy and the extent of surgical resection. In every case surgical resection should be considered.