Near complete surgical resection predicts a favorable outcome in pediatric patients with nonbrainstem, malignant gliomas: results from a single center in the magnetic resonance imaging era.
BACKGROUND
Because few reports on outcome in patients with pediatric malignant gliomas during the magnetic resonance imaging era were available, the authors studied the outcomes of children with these tumors at their institution.


METHODS
The medical records of 39 patients with nonbrainstem, malignant gliomas who were treated at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania/Children's Hospital of Philadelphia between February 1, 1989 and December 31, 2000 were reviewed retrospectively. Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess tumors at presentation and at follow-up. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were determined using the Kaplan-Meier method. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using a Cox proportional hazards model.


RESULTS
The median follow-up for the 14 surviving patients was 47.6 months. The median PFS for all patients was 12.2 months, and the median OS for all patients was 21.3 months. The extent of surgery was the strongest prognostic factor for predicting outcomes in these patients, with a median survival of 122.2 months in patients who underwent macroscopic total resection compared with 14.1 months in patients who had significant residual disease after surgery. In univariate analyses, other than the extent of surgery, only the absence of visual symptoms at diagnosis significantly predicted improved OS. Local control was improved for patients who underwent better resection and had smaller tumors. In multivariate analyses, although the extent of surgery continued to predict outcomes significantly, histologic grade, which was not significant in the univariate analysis, also was significant.


CONCLUSIONS
Children with malignant gliomas appeared to fare better than their adult counterparts. Because the extent of resection was one of the strongest predictors of outcome, the authors concluded that the optimal therapy for these patients would include the maximal possible resection.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, USA.
Mary Kara
MK
Bucci
Amit
A
Maity
Anna J
AJ
Janss
Jean B
JB
Belasco
Michael J
MJ
Fisher
Zelig A
ZA
Tochner
Lucy
L
Rorke
Leslie N
LN
Sutton
Peter C
PC
Phillips
Hui-Kuo G
HK
Shu
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome