Central nervous system hemangioblastomas: An age-stratified analysis

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Neurosurgery
• Genetics

Background:

• Hemangioblastomas (HBs) are rare tumors with limited research on age-related clinical features and outcomes.
• Systematic study of age's impact on HB treatment and prognosis is lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the influence of age on clinical characteristics, treatment, and postoperative outcomes of hemangioblastomas.
• To identify prognostic factors for surgical outcomes in patients with hemangioblastomas across different age groups.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective institutional study of 187 patients diagnosed with hemangioblastomas between 2011 and 2016.
• Comparison of clinical data and surgical outcomes among three age groups: 0-20, 21-59, and ≥60 years.
• Analysis of surgical prognostic factors for hemangioblastomas.

Main Results:

• Spinal HBs were more common in younger patients, while cerebellar HBs predominated in adults.
• Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome risk decreased significantly with age (47.6% in 0-20 years vs. 6.45% in ≥60 years).
• Older patients had lower VHL risk and recurrence rates; surgical resection yielded favorable outcomes in all age groups.

Conclusions:

• Hemangioblastomas present differently based on age, with distinct locations and VHL association.
• Elderly patients with HBs have a lower risk of VHL and tumor recurrence, with no increased surgical risk compared to younger adults.
• Solid tumor, VHL disease, and brainstem location are poor prognostic indicators for hemangioblastomas.