Analysis of prognostic factors and survival status of children with medulloblastoma

Abstract

Objective To investigate the prognostic factors and survival status of children with medulloblastoma (MB) by using retrospective analysis. Methods From February 2011 to December 2017, 224 children with newly-diagnosed MB were enrolled in this study, which was carried out at Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University.The overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were calcula-ted by using Kaplan-Meier method, the difference between 2 groups was tested by Log-rank method, and prognostic factors were analyzed by COX regression. Results Until December 30, 2018, the median survival time of all these 224 children was 4.1 years, the survival rate was 74.6%, complete response (CR) rate was 60.3%, and the relapse rate was 1.7%. The 5-year PFS rate and 5- year OS rate of all patients were (58.2±3.6)% and (72.5±3.3)%, respectively. Survival rates of children in the high-risk group, with metastatic disease, aged <3 years, and with positive tumor cells in the cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) were very low. The 5-year OS rates were (54.8±5.3)%, (57.7±5.9)%, (41.6±8.7)%, and (53.0±7.3)%, respectively.Compared to others, the children with MB large-cell/anaplastic histology [5-year OS rate was (35.3±13.6)%] and MB group 3 subtype [3-year OS rate was (25.0±13.0)%] lived a miserable life.Meanwhile, the children in the stand-risk group, without metastatic disease, no large-cell/anaplastic histology, age older than 3 years, and with tumor cell negative in CSF, lived a better life. The 5-year OS rates were (87.5±3.5)%, (80.3±3.7)%, (70.6±5.5)%, (78.3±3.3)%, and (78.4±3.5)%, respectively, and all of them were over 70.0%. No WNT tumors progressed or relapsed, and 5- year OS rate was 100.0%. The survival status of SHH subgroup was inferior to that of group 4 subtype[(64.8±5.8)% vs.(83.5±3.8)%, χ2=5.417, P=0.015]. With COX analysis, age and tumor cells in CSF at the time of diagnosis were independent risk factors for OS and PFS of MB (PFS: Wald=8.485, P=0.004; Wald=11.702, P=0.001; OS: Wald=16.274, P=0.000; Wald=7.191, P=0.007). Conclusions Survival of children with MB more than 3 years old has been reached a perfectly high level.Age and tumor cells in CSF are independent risk factors for the OS and PFS. However, the prognosis of large-cell/anaplastic histology, malignancy cell positive in CSF, group 3 and children under 3 years old, is still poor, and intensive treatment is needed urgently for those patients. Key words: Child; Medulloblastoma; Prognosis; Survival