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Published on: September 25, 2012
Epidemiological features of brain tumors in the first 3 years of life
1Institute of Neuropathology, Westfälische Wilhelms-Universität, Münster, Germany. rickchr@uni-muenster.de
Insights
Pediatric brain tumors show a male predominance and supratentorial location. Incidence of high-grade tumors and supratentorial location decreases with age in young children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Oncology
- Neuro-oncology
- Childhood Cancer Research
Background:
- Brain tumors are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children.
- Understanding the epidemiology of pediatric brain tumors is crucial for diagnosis and treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the age-related incidence, location, gender distribution, and histology of brain tumors in children under three years of age.
- To identify trends in tumor types and grades across the first three years of life.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of 75 pediatric brain tumor cases diagnosed between 1984 and 1997.
- Data collection included patient age, gender, tumor location (supratentorial/infratentorial), histology, and WHO grade.
Main Results:
- Overall incidence was higher in boys (1.3:1 ratio). Supratentorial tumors were more common (1.7:1 ratio).
- Most frequent histologies: astrocytoma (25.3%), ependymoma (17.3%), medulloblastoma (13.3%), and primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNETs) (10.8%).
- High-grade tumors (WHO III-IV) accounted for 44%. Incidence of supratentorial and high-grade tumors decreased with age. PNETs were most common in the first year, astrocytomas and ependymomas in the second, and astrocytomas in the third year.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric brain tumors in the first three years of life exhibit distinct epidemiological and histological patterns.
- Age-specific analysis reveals shifts in tumor types and locations, highlighting the importance of age in understanding pediatric neuro-oncology.
Abstract:
We investigated the age-related location, gender distribution, and histology of 75 brain tumors in children under 3 years of age seen in our department between 1984 and 1997. These were characterized by a higher overall incidence in boys (42/33 cases; ratio 1.3) and a prevalence for a supratentorial location (48/27 cases; ratio 1.7); the most common histological entities were astrocytoma (25.3%) and ependymoma (17.3%), followed by medulloblastoma (13.3%) and PNET (10.8%); 44% were high-grade tumors corresponding to WHO grades III and IV. In the 1st (22 cases), 2nd (25 cases) and 3rd (28 cases) years of life, the boy-girl ratios were 1.0, 1.5 and 1.3, respectively, while there was a decrease with age in the frequency of supratentorial (ratios 3.4, 1.1, and 1.2) and high-grade tumors (77.3%, 36.0%, and 32.1%). In the 1st year of life the most common neoplasms were PNETs (22.7%) and in the 2nd year both astrocytomas and ependymomas (24.0 % each); astrocytomas (35.7%) prevailed in the 3rd year of life.
