title: Survival of patients with primary CNS tumours in Estonia.
abstract: We studied a population-based survey that included 1417 patients with a primary central nervous system (CNS) tumour diagnosed in Estonia between 1986 and 1996. Survival rates at 1 and 5 years and median survival by histology and patient's age at diagnosis were estimated. Median survival time for all tumours was 33.2 months and 1- and 5-year survival rates were 59.3 and 46.0%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, younger age, better clinical condition (i.e. a Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) score of 60 and more) and tumour histology were all dependent prognostic factors for better survival. Risk of death was more than 8 times greater for glioblastoma (Risk Ratio (RR) 8.31) and approximately seven times greater for anaplastic astrocytoma (RR 7.22) and other gliomas (RR 5.74) compared with meningiomas. Comparing the first (1986-1989) and the third (1994-1996) time periods, statistically significant improvements in survival occurred for all tumours and astrocytomas. Declines in survival during the second period (1990-1993) were statistically significant for all the tumour groups, but the most striking decrease took place in patients with glioblastoma. Age-specific rates showed that the increase in survival was more evident for patients aged between 45 and 64 years.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, University of Tartu, 2, Ludvig Puusepp St., 51014, Tartu, Estonia. aive.liigant@kliinikum.ee
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Liigant
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kulla
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Linnamägi
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Asser
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Kaasik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016543:Central Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004957:Estonia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D015996:Survival Rate