Young age may predict a better outcome for children with diffuse pontine glioma

• Published in: Cancer 2008-08, Vol.113 (3), p.566-572
• Main Authors: Broniscer, Alberto, Laningham, Fred H., Sanders, Robert P., Kun, Larry E., Ellison, David W., Gajjar, Amar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Factors; Biological and medical sciences; Brain Stem Neoplasms - diagnosis; Brain Stem Neoplasms - therapy; brainstem; Child, Preschool; children; Disease-Free Survival; Early Diagnosis; Female; Glioma - diagnosis; Glioma - therapy; Humans; Infant; Male; Medical sciences; Neurology; pons; Prognosis; radiation therapy; Retrospective Studies; treatment; Treatment Outcome; Tumors; Tumors of the nervous system. Phacomatoses
• ISSN: 0008-543X; 1097-0142
• DOI: 10.1002/cncr.23584

BACKGROUND. Because diffuse pontine glioma (DPG) is rare among young children, the outcome of affected patients is unknown. METHODS. The authors reviewed clinical and radiologic characteristics of all children aged 50% of this brainstem segment. Histologic confirmation was attempted in 2 patients who had atypical radiologic features at diagnosis. Four patients initially were observed only. All patients received therapy, which consisted of radiation therapy (RT) (n = 2), RT and chemotherapy (n = 6), or chemotherapy only (n = 2). Four patients died of tumor progression after a median of 0.7 years (range, 0.5–3.7 years). Six patients have survived for a median of 2.3 years (range, 0.9–8 years). The 3‐year progression‐free and overall survival rates were 45% ± 19% and 69% ± 19%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS. Children aged