Central nervous system (CNS) tumors in the first six months of life: the Children's Hospital Los Angeles experience, 1979-2005.
BACKGROUND
The authors report the experience at the Children's Hospital Los Angeles with brain tumors diagnosed before 6 months of age, describing the characteristics of the patients, their tumors, treatment strategies, and prognostic factors.


METHODS
Thirty-three children who were identified between 1979 and 2005 were included. Twelve were female (36%). There were 11 gliomas, 9 choroid plexus tumors, 8 medulloblastomas and supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET), 2 atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumors (ATRT), and 1 each of ependymoma, craniopharyngioma, and immature teratoma. Locations of primary tumors included 21 supratentorial (64%) and 7 posterior fossa, and 5 tumors involved both compartments. The treatment strategies included 5 patients with biopsy only, 18 less than gross total resections (<GTRx), and 9 GTRx. Fourteen children (42%) received chemotherapy. Three patients (9%) received irradiation, 1 at initial diagnosis and 2 at relapse. Nine patients (27%) demonstrated metastases, 6 at diagnosis and 3 at relapse.


RESULTS
The Kaplan Meier analysis of event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) for all patients is 21 +/- 9% and 35 +/- 9% at 5 years. For the glioma patients, the 4-year OS is 48 +/- 17%, while the 5-year OS for the medulloblastoma/PNET/ATRT patients is 12 +/- 11% (p = .39). The 5-year OS for children achieving a GTRx is 64 +/- 21% and for those with <GTRx is 27 +/- 10% (p = .08).
Serowka
K
K
The Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Childrens Hospital Los Angeles, California 90027-6016, USA.
Chiu
Y
Y
Gonzalez
I
I
Gilles
F
F
McComb
G
G
Krieger
M
M
Dhall
G
G
Britt
B
B
Ji
L
L
Sposto
R
R
Finlay
J L
JL
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D015141:Los Angeles / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome