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Characteristics of intracranial meningiomas in childhood
Insights
Childhood meningiomas show distinct features like lateral ventricle locations and cyst formation, differing from adult tumors. Male predominance was observed in pediatric and adolescent cases, unlike the adult female predilection.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Neurosurgery
- Oncology
- Neuropathology
Background:
- Meningiomas are uncommon in children, with distinct biological and clinical characteristics compared to adults.
- Understanding pediatric meningioma epidemiology and pathology is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare clinicopathological features of childhood meningiomas with adolescent and adult cases.
- To identify unique characteristics of meningiomas in young patients.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 18 childhood meningioma cases (onset < 15 years).
- Comparison with 18 adolescent and 498 adult meningioma cases.
- Evaluation of incidence, age/sex distribution, symptoms, tumor location, histology, cyst presence, dural attachment, and prognosis.
Main Results:
- Childhood meningiomas showed higher incidence in lateral ventricles (11.1%), increased cyst formation (16.7%), and lack of dural attachment (12.5%) compared to adults (p<0.05).
- Features 1 and 2 were also observed in adolescent cases.
- Male predominance (M:F=10.8) in childhood/adolescence contrasted with female predominance in adults (M:F=1:1.6).
- Sarcomatous type was the most frequent histology (6/18); 3 malignant cases survived >10 years.
Conclusions:
- Childhood meningiomas exhibit unique features including specific locations, cyst formation, and different sex distribution.
- The high incidence of sarcomatous type in children warrants further investigation regarding prognosis and treatment.
Abstract:
18 cases of meningiomas in childhood below the age of 15 years at the onset of symptoms and signs were experienced in our clinic. They were studied as for the incidence, age and sex distributions, symptoms and signs at the onset, tumor locations, histological types, presence of cyst, dural attachments, and prognosis, in comparison with cases in adolescence (18 cases) and in adults (498 cases). Distinctive features in childhood meningiomas were: (1) relatively high incidence in the lateral ventricles (11.1%), (2) high incidence of cyst formation in the tumor (16.7%), and (3) of cases without any dural attachment (12.5%). These features were statistically significant as compared to adult cases (p less than 0.05). Features 1 and 2 were also true for adolescence cases. It was also revealed that male patients were predominant in childhood and adolescence (M:F = 10.8) in contrast to female predominance in adults (M:F = 1:1.6). The most frequent histological type was sarcomatous type (6 out of 18). It may be of interest that 3 cases of this malignant type have been alive for more than 10 years.