Hemispheric cerebral tumors in children. Long-term prognosis concerning survival rate and quality of life--considerations on a series of 64 cases operated upon.
A series of 64 consecutive cases of children with neuroepthelial tumors of the cerebral hemispheres operated on from 1966 to 1983 is analyzed with regard to the long-term survival rate and the quality of life at late follow-up. At the time of the diagnosis the age of the patients ranged from 8 months to 15 years (mean age 7.6 years), and the relative incidence of these neoplasms was found to be about the same (37%) in the subgroups from 5 to 10 years and 11 to 15 years. It was only 9% in patients below 2 years of age. Tumor removal was radical in 84% and partial in 16% of the cases. The overall operative mortality was 14%, although it has been 4% since 1977. At histology, grade I and II lesions were found to account for 70% of the cases, and of the remaining 30% of the cases 8% were grade IV anaplastic lesions. The survival rate of the 55 survivors was calculated according to the actuarial life-table analysis. It was 62% at 5 years and 40% at 15 years. The survival rate at 5 years was 80% for low grade (I and II) tumors while it was 25% for high-grade malignancy (III-IV) tumors. The quality of life was assessed in all 29 patients with long-term survival (disease-free state lasting for at least 5 years) by adopting a specific protocol, which included repeated CT studies and neuropsychological evaluation.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Balestrini
M R
MR
Department of Child Neurology, Neurologic Institute C. Besta, Milan, Italy.
Zanette
M
M
Micheli
R
R
Fornari
M
M
Solero
C L
CL
Broggi
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011788:Quality of Life; D013534:Survival; D013997:Time Factors