Low grade astrocytoma in children under the age of three years: a report from the Canadian pediatric brain tumour consortium

Abstract

In children under the age of 3years, the most common solid tumors are brain tumors. Low grade astrocytomas represent 30-40% of brain tumours in this age group. This study reviewed the incidence, characteristics, therapy, and outcome of children less than 36months of age diagnosed with a low grade astrocytoma from 1990 to 2005 in Canada. A data bank was established using data collected from Canadian pediatric oncology centers on children less than age 3 diagnosed with brain tumors between 1990 and 2005. Cases of low grade astrocytoma were extracted from this data bank and their characteristics summarized. From the 579 cases in the data bank, 153 cases of low grade astrocytoma (26%) were identified. The mean duration of symptoms prior to presentation was 13weeks, and 53% of patients underwent a greater than 90% resection of their tumor, while 30% underwent 10-90% resection. Seventy-one percent of patients received no further therapy after surgery and of the 45 who received therapy following surgery, 43 received chemotherapy, and 5 received radiation therapy. Sixty-eight patients had recurrence or progression of their tumor. Eighty-seven percent of patients were alive at the time of the survey with a 2year survival rate of 95.3±1.8%, 5year survival rate of 93.1±2.1% and 10year survival rate of 89.1±2.8%. The 5year survival rate for Canadian children less than 36months of age with a low grade astrocytoma was 93.0±2.8% which is similar to that for older children with this tumor.