Congenital brain tumors in a series of 56 patients.
BACKGROUND
Central nervous system tumors diagnosed before the end of the first year of life differ from those found in older children and in adults. The differences include mode of clinical presentation, anatomical distribution, histopathological diagnoses, response to therapy, and outcome.


METHODS
The material consists of 56 children (23 girls and 33 boys), aged at recognition 32 Hbd-12 months. We reviewed charts and MR exams according to age of the onset of symptoms, location of tumors, treatment, histopathology, and outcomes. Data of the outcome were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier plots and chi-square test.


RESULTS
Eleven cases were recognized before 6 weeks of life, 24 before the age of 6 months, and 21 were diagnosed up to the end of 1 year of age. Thirty-eight tumors were located in the supratentorial compartment; 18 were infratentorial. Median age of tumors' recognition was 5.2 months; 4.3 months for supratentorial and 7.2 months for infratentorial tumors. We found 18 glial cell tumors (high and low grade), 15 embryonal tumors, and 12 choroid plexus tumors.


CONCLUSIONS
The outcome of congenital CNS tumors depends on the size, location, time of diagnosis, histological type of the tumor, and therapeutic option. Neurosurgical procedures are necessary in most cases. Despite the notable advances in therapy, the outcome remains poor.
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, MR Unit, The Children's Memorial Health Institute, Warsaw, Poland. e-jurkiewicz@o2.pl
Elżbieta
E
Jurkiewicz
Agnieszka
A
Brożyna
Wiesława
W
Grajkowska
Monika
M
Bekiesińska-Figatowska
Paweł
P
Daszkiewicz
Katarzyna
K
Nowak
Katarzyna
K
Malczyk
Jerzy
J
Walecki
Danuta
D
Perek
Małgorzata
M
Syczewska
D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000151:congenital* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002675:Child, Preschool; D018572:Disease-Free Survival; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome