Clinical, radiological, and histopathological features and prognostic factors of brain tumors in children

Abstract

Brain tumors are the second leading cause of death among cancers in children. Brain development continues until the age of 3 years; thus, brain tumors have varied clinical, radiological, and histopathological features. This study determined clinical, radiological, and histopathological features and prognostic factors for brain tumors in the pediatrics department of Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia/Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo Hospital Jakarta in 2010-2015. This retrospective cohort study included 88 children with primary brain tumors treated. Children aged <3 years experienced symptoms such as headaches (63%) and seizures (56%); based on the radiographs, the brain tumors were located mostly in the ventricular cerebrum (25%) and cerebellum (24%); based on the histopathology, the most common types of brain tumor were astrocytomas (31%) and medulloblastomas (25%). Children aged ≥3 years experienced symptoms such as headaches (81%) and impaired vision (65%); based on the radiographs, the brain tumors were located mostly in the cerebellum (24%) and the suprasellar region (10%); based on the histopathology, the most common types of brain tumor were medulloblastomas (21%), astrocytomas (18%), and gliomas (17%). The life expectancy rate for brain tumors was 37%. The most common symptom of a brain tumor was a headache. This study found no prognostic factors for brain tumors in children.