Calvarial Tumors: A Retrospective Analysis and Clinical Experience

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Oncology
• Pathology

Background:

• Calvarial lesions encompass a spectrum of pathologies, including benign and malignant tumors, as well as tumor-like conditions.
• Understanding the frequency and nature of these lesions across different age groups is essential for effective management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prognosis, frequency, and diverse pathologies of calvarial tumors in various age demographics.
• To analyze the diagnostic utility of imaging modalities like FDG-PET and WBBS in identifying extracranial lesions associated with calvarial tumors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of clinical data from 76 patients who underwent surgery for calvarial lesions between 2007 and 2021.
• Review of radiological images and surgical notes to assess tumor extent and resection.
• Evaluation of F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and whole-body bone scintigraphy (WBBS) findings.

Main Results:

• The study included 76 patients (43.4% male, 56.6% female) with a mean age of 36.0 years.
• Children (28.9%) predominantly had tumor-like pathologies (59.1%), while adults showed a higher incidence of malignant tumors (42.6%).
• FDG-PET scans (80%) and WBBS (35.7%) identified extracranial lesions; 72.2% of metastatic tumors were diagnosed via calvarial resection before primary tumor detection.

Conclusions:

• Calvarial lesions comprise malignant, intermediate, benign tumors, and tumor-like conditions.
• Malignant tumors represented 34.2% of calvarial lesions in this cohort.
• Surgical intervention and early diagnosis of calvarial lesions are critical for managing underlying primary malignancies.