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Morphological pattern and frequency of intracranial tumors in children
1Department of Neurosurgery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Shariati Hospital, Tehran, Iran. mehrazin@yahoo.com
Insights
Pediatric brain tumors are more common in males, with astrocytoma being the most frequent type across all age groups. This study analyzes the patterns of these childhood brain tumors in Iran.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neuro-oncology
- Epidemiology of childhood brain tumors
- Histopathology of central nervous system neoplasms
Background:
- Brain tumors represent the second most frequent neoplasm in children globally.
- Limited data exists on the specific patterns of pediatric brain tumors within Iran.
- Understanding tumor occurrence patterns is crucial for etiological research and clinical management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To characterize the demographic and histopathologic features of intracranial tumors in children under 15 years of age.
- To determine the age, sex distribution, and anatomical location of pediatric brain tumors.
- To identify the most common histological diagnoses for pediatric brain tumors in the studied population.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective analysis was conducted on 619 pediatric patients with pathologically confirmed brain tumors.
- Data extracted from patient charts included demographics, tumor location, and histopathological diagnosis.
- Frequency distributions for age, sex, location, and tumor type were calculated.
Main Results:
- The male-to-female ratio was 58.1% to 41.9%, with a statistically significant difference (p<0.05).
- The most common histological diagnoses were astrocytoma (40.4%), medulloblastoma (18.4%), ependymoma (10.5%), craniopharyngioma (8.8%), and meningioma (4.2%).
- Astrocytoma was the predominant tumor type in children aged 5-15 years (87%), and accounted for 40.4% of all brain tumors.
Conclusions:
- Males exhibit a higher incidence of pediatric brain tumors compared to females.
- Specific tumor types, such as craniopharyngioma and medulloblastoma, showed a significant male predominance.
- Astrocytoma is the leading brain tumor diagnosis across all pediatric age groups, with certain tumor types demonstrating age-related predilections.
Background:
Brain tumors are the second most common neoplasm in children. Pattern of primary brain tumors in children has not been reported in Iran. Brain tumors have been the subject of controversy both with respect to pattern of occurrence and to potential causes.
Objective:
To determine the age, sex, location, and histologic diagnosis of intracranial tumors in children less than 15 years of age.
Materials And Methods:
A retrospective study of 619 children who were admitted to the neurosurgical center between 1978 and 2003 was performed. Charts were reviewed to extract information about demographics, location, and histopathological diagnosis of tumors. All patients entered into this study had pathologically proven brain tumor. The frequency distribution of brain tumors by age and sex, location, and histopathology was calculated.
Results:
The male-female ratio, 58.1 to 41.9%, vary significantly (p<0.05). The mean age of the patients at time of diagnosis was 8.8 years (SD=3.9). Fifty-one percent of brain tumors were located in supratentorial, and 49.0% in the infratentorial region. In supratentorial region, 57.0% of the tumors were in the hemispheric. In infratentorial region, 68% of the tumors were in the midline. The mixed five most common histological diagnoses in patients were astrocytoma (40.4%), followed by medulloblastoma (18.4%), ependymoma (10.5%), craniopharyngioma (8.8%), and meningioma (4.2%). Most of the brain tumor types (85%) occurred in children between 5 to 15 years of age. Astrocytoma occurred mostly in children aged 5-15 years (87%).
Conclusion:
Males were affected more than females. A significant male predominance was observed in craniopharyngioma and medulloblastoma. Astrocytoma was the first most common brain tumor in all age groups. Certain tumor types show a predilection for the certain period of life.
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