Low-grade gliomas: Review of 10 years

Abstract

Abstract Introduction Central nervous system (CNS) tumours are the most common solid tumours in children. Among these, the low-grade gliomas are the most common type, accounting for up to 30–50% of them. Patients and methods A retrospective analysis was carried out on the epidemiology, clinical characteristics, tumour location, histology, treatment, outcome and long-term sequelae of 111 patients diagnosed with low-grade glioma in the Nino Jesus Children's Hospital of Madrid from January 2002 to December 2011. Results Of the 111 patients, there were 57 boys and 54 girls. The mean age was 7.26 years (range, 2 months–19 years). The most common symptoms of presentation were headache (27%) and vomiting (19%). The most common locations were the cerebral hemispheres (38%), followed by the brainstem (27.4%), and cerebellum (18.5%). Histological examination was performed in 89 patients (80.18%). Pilocytic astrocytoma was the most common histological type. Diagnostic biopsy was performed in 20 patients (22.5%), partial resection in 38 patients (42.7%), and total resection in 31 patients (34.8%). Sixteen patients received chemotherapy (14%), and eighteen patients received radiotherapy (16%). Overall survival was 88.3%. Long term hearing, visual and endocrine sequelae were noted in one, five, and four patients, respectively. Conclusions The most common histological type is pilocytic astrocytoma. Overall survival was 88.3%. Only 9% of patients had some kind or auditory, visual or endocrine sequelae.