[Prognostic and survival factors among pediatric patients with ependymomas].
BACKGROUND
Ependymomas constitute the third most common intracranial tumors in children. Risk factors include age, location, extent of surgical excision, and radiation therapy. Recently, chromosomal imbalances have been described.


OBJECTIVE
Determine global survival of patients with ependymomas according to different prognostic factors.


METHODS
We reviewed the medical charts of every pediatric patient with ependymoma from 1996 to 2005. Genomic imbalances were determined using comparative genomic hybridization (CGH). Survival was calculated using the Kaplan and Meier method. We used the Log Rank test for each risk factor. Death risk was calculated by odds ratio (OR).


RESULTS
We included 24 patients. Global survival was 58.04%. The presence of chromosomal imbalances, particularly in chromosome 21, significantly affected survival Being under 5 years of age, anaplastic histology, chemotherapy other than ICE (ifosfamida-carboplatin-etoposide) and partial resection increased the risk of death.


CONCLUSIONS
Known risk factors were confirmed in our study, including chromosomal imbalances. We describe a new chromosomal imbalance in chromosome 21 among 30% of study participants.
López-Aguilar
Enrique
E
Departamento de Oncología Pediátrica, Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad (UMAE) Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional Siglo XXI, IMSS, México D.F., México. elopezaguilar@hotmail.com
Sepúlveda-Vildósola
Ana Carolina
AC
Betanzos-Cabrera
Yadira
Y
Gascón-Lastiri
Graciela
G
Ortiz-Suárez
Liliana
L
Rivera-Márquez
Hugo
H
Cerecedo-Díaz
Fernando
F
Wanzke-Del Angel
Volkmar
V
De la Cruz-Yáñez
Hermilo
H
Ramírez-Reyes
Griselda
G
Arenas-Aranda
Diego
D
Siordia-Reyes
Georgina
G
D000293:Adolescent; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004806:Ependymoma / Q000401:mortality*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate