Abstract

BACKGROUNDCongenital (<3 months) and infant (3 to 11 months) brain tumors are biologically different from tumors in older children, but epidemiology of these tumors has not been studied comprehensively. Insight into epidemiological differences could help tailor treatment recommendations by age and increase overall survival (OS).METHODSPopulation-based data from the SEER 18 registries was obtained for 14,493 0-19-year-olds diagnosed with CNS tumors between 1990 and 2015. Incidence, treatment, and survival were analyzed using Chi-square and Kaplan-Meier analyses.RESULTSBetween the <3 month, 3–5 month, 6–11 month, and 1–19 year age groups, tumor type distribution differed significantly (p<0.001); high-grade glioma (HGG) was most common in the <3-month-olds, while low-grade glioma (LGG) was most common in the other groups. 5-year OS for all tumors was 36.7% (<3 months), 56.0% (<3–5 months), 63.8% (6–11 months), and 74.7% (1–19 years) (log rank p<0.001). OS by tumor type was worst for <3-month-olds with LGG, medulloblastoma, and other embryonal tumors; OS was worst for 3-5-month-olds with ependymoma, <1-year-olds collectively with atypical teratoid-rhabdoid tumor, and 1-19-year-olds with HGG (log rank p<0.02 for all tumor types). <3-month-olds were least likely to receive any treatment for each tumor type and least likely to undergo surgery for all except HGG. <1-year-olds were far less likely than 1-19-year-olds to undergo radiation for embryonal tumors, as expected, but were also less likely to undergo chemotherapy.CONCLUSIONSCongenital/infant CNS tumors differ pathologically, therapeutically, and prognostically from those in older children. Treatment changes could help address poorer outcomes for these young patients.

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