Calvarial Tumors: A Retrospective Analysis and Clinical Experience

To elucidate the prognosis, frequency, and diverse nature of pathologies for calvarial tumors among different age groups.

Seventy-six patients who underwent surgery for calvarial lesions between January 2007 and March 2021 are included in this study. Clinical data obtained retrospectively from patients? electronic records. Radiological images and surgical notes are reviewed to determine extent of the tumor and resection.

Among 76 patients, 33 (43.4%) were male and 43 (56.6%) were female. The mean age was 36.0 years (range: 1?81 years) at the time of initial operation. Children consisted 28.9% (n=22) of the patients. In children, 59.1% (n=13) had tumor-like pathologies, while 27.3% (n=6) had benign pathologies, and 13.6% (n=3) had malignant tumors. In the adult population, 42.6% (n=23) had malignant tumors, 31.5% (n=17) had benign tumors, 16.7% (n=9) had tumor-like pathologies, and 9.2% (n=5) had intermediate-grade tumors. F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scan was performed in 16 patients, 10 cases underwent whole-body bone scintigraphy (WBBS), and 4 cases underwent both. Among these examinations, 16 (80%) of the FDG-PET scans and 5 (35.7%) of the WBBS scans revealed an extracranial pathological lesion. A calvarial tumor was diagnosed in 13 of 18 cases of metastatic lesions (72.2%) before the primary tumor detection.

Lesions of the calvarium include malignant tumors, intermediate grade tumors, tumor-like lesions, and benign tumors. These masses may be the first presentation in patients with underlying primary tumors. In our study, the malignant tumor rate in the calvaria was 34.2%, and 72.2% of the metastatic tumors were diagnosed with a calvarial resection before the primary tumor was found. Operating a calvarial lesion and making an early diagnosis are crucial for the treatment of the primary lesions.