J Korean Med Sci.  1998 Feb;13(1):65-70. 10.3346/jkms.1998.13.1.65.

Brain tumor in the first year of life: a single institute study

• Chung SK
• Wang KC
• Nam DH
• Cho BK

• KMID: 1107229
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.1998.13.1.65

Abstract

Brain tumors in infants present special diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. To figure out the clinical features, pathological classification of the tumors and the treatment outcome of infantile brain tumors, 458 children (age<16) with brain tumors were reviewed retrospectively. Among them 21 cases (4.6%) were diagnosed during the first 12 months of life. Two tumors were definitely of congenital origin. The majority of infants with brain tumors presented with increased intracranial pressure. Fourteen tumors were located at the supratentorial area. Sixteen cases had neuroepithelial tumors; astrocytoma (optic pathway), supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumor (PNET) and medulloblastoma were found in three cases each. There were two treatment-related mortalities. Compared with the outcomes in older children, the treatment outcome was poorer in medulloblastoma and the optic pathway glioma which showed a higher growth potential. Because of the limited application of postoperative adjuvant therapy, radical surgical removal played a more important role in this age group. The prognosis of patients in whom the tumors could not be totally removed, largely depended on the pathological malignancy of the tumors. Though the treatment outcome was not always dismal, immaturity of the brain, higher growth potential, perioperative risks, limitations in adjuvant therapy, and pessimistic attitude on the part of parents made management more challenging.

MeSH Terms

Adolescence
Brain Neoplasms*/therapy
Brain Neoplasms*/physiopathology
Brain Neoplasms*/pathology
Brain Neoplasms*/diagnosis
Child
Child, Preschool
Female
Human
Infant
Male
Retrospective Studies
Treatment Outcome