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High-grade glioma in very young children: a rare and particular patient population
Moatasem El-Ayadi1,2,3, Marc Ansari1,2, Dominik Sturm4,5
1Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
Insights
Pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGG) in children under 3 are rare and distinct. This review details their unique epidemiology, molecular profiles, and treatment outcomes compared to older patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric neuro-oncology
- Molecular pathology
Background:
- Pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGG) show unique molecular and biological characteristics compared to adult HGG.
- Data on HGG in very young children (under 3 years) is scarce due to low incidence.
Purpose of the Study:
- To summarize current knowledge on the epidemiological, neuropathological, genetic, and molecular data of HGG in children under 3.
- To compare these characteristics with older pediatric and adult HGG patients.
- To highlight clinical, neuro-radiological findings, management, and outcomes in this specific subgroup.
Main Methods:
- Literature review and synthesis of existing data on pediatric HGG in very young children.
- Comparative analysis of epidemiological, molecular, clinical, and treatment data.
Main Results:
- Children under 3 with HGG represent a distinct subgroup with unique molecular and biological features.
- Clinical presentation, neuro-radiological findings, and treatment approaches differ from older pediatric and adult HGG.
- Outcomes for this very young subgroup require further investigation.
Conclusions:
- HGG in children under 3 years old is a rare and distinct entity requiring specialized research and clinical consideration.
- Further studies are needed to fully elucidate the unique aspects of this subgroup for improved management and outcomes.
Abstract:
In the past years, pediatric high-grade gliomas (HGG) have been the focus of several research articles and reviews, given the recent discoveries on the genetic and molecular levels pointing out a clinico-biological uniqueness of the pediatric population compared to their adult counterparts with HGG. On the other hand, there are only scarce data about HGG in very young children (below 3 years of age at diagnosis) due to their relatively low incidence. However, the few available data suggest further distinction of this very rare subgroup from older children and adults at several levels including their molecular and biological characteristics, their treatment management, as well as their outcome. This review summarizes and discusses the current available knowledge on the epidemiological, neuropathological, genetic and molecular data of this subpopulation. We discuss these findings and differences compared to older patients suffering from the same histologic disease. In addition, we highlight the particular clinical and neuro-radiological findings in this specific subgroup of patients as well as their current management approaches and treatment outcomes.
