title: Sacrococcygeal tumors: clinical characteristics and outcome of pediatric patients treated at South Egypt Cancer Institute. A retrospective analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sacrococcygeal tumors (SCT) are relatively uncommon tumors affecting neonates, infants and children. The aim of this article is to clarify any special characterizations in natural history, clinical presentation and outcome of such tumors treated at South Egypt Cancer Institute, the only research center located in South Egypt.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis of children with SCT treated at the Pediatric Oncology department South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University between 2004 and 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nineteen children were included in the study. Age ranged between 10 days and 5 years. All but three had sacral mass at presentation. AFP levels ranged between normal age-related levels and 217,200 ng/ml. Initial resection was possible in 11, while eight patients with clinical suggestion of advanced malignant disease were inoperable. They received initial chemotherapy followed by delayed surgery. Yolk sac tumor (YST) was reported in 52.9% of patients. Recurrence was reported in 5 patients (3 mature teratomas and 2 YST). Five-year OS and RFS rates of patients who had malignant disease were 81.8% and 77.8% respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Older age and delay in presentation that resulted in predominance of extensive disease and malignant transformation at presentation were the main challenges we faced in managing patients with SCT in our locality.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Oncology Department, South Egypt Cancer Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt. hebadina2007@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Heba Abdel-Razik
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Sayed
authors.forename: Amany Mohamed
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Hesham Mahmoud
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Hamza
authors.forename: Amr Farok
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Mourad
authors.forename: Almoutaz Ahmad
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Eltayeb
mesh_terms: D002173:Cancer Care Facilities; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004534:Egypt; D018240:Endodermal Sinus Tumor / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012445:Sacrococcygeal Region; D013724:Teratoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Children; Germ cell tumors; Infants; Sacrococcygeal tumors