Intracranial Subependymoma: A SEER Analysis 2004-2013

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Epidemiology
• Clinical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Subependymomas are rare, slow-growing, benign intracranial tumors.
• Limited data exists on prognostic and treatment factors influencing survival.
• The study aims to address this knowledge gap using a large patient registry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate prognostic factors for survival in intracranial subependymoma.
• To assess the impact of different treatment modalities on patient outcomes.
• To identify key factors associated with improved overall and cause-specific survival.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the SEER-18 registry database for patients diagnosed between 2004-2013.
• Extracted data on patient demographics, tumor characteristics, and treatment details.
• Employed Cox proportional hazards models for univariate and multivariate survival analyses.

Main Results:

• Identified 466 cases of intracranial subependymoma with an incidence of 0.055 per 100,000 person-years.
• Younger age (<40 years), female sex, ventricular/brainstem location, and surgery were significant positive prognostic factors.
• Radiation therapy did not demonstrate a statistically significant association with survival outcomes.

Conclusions:

• Younger age, female sex, and tumor location near ventricles or brainstem are associated with better overall survival.
• Surgical intervention is a critical treatment modality for intracranial subependymoma.
• Current data does not support the routine use of radiation therapy for these tumors.