Treatment of childhood diffuse brain stem tumors: comparison of results in different treatment modalities

• Published in: Clinical & translational oncology 2006-01, Vol.8 (1), p.45-49
• Main Authors: de Aquino Gorayeb, Melissa M, Aisen, Salim, Nadalin, Wladimir, Panico Gorayeb, Rodrigo, de Andrade Carvalho, Heloisa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antineoplastic Agents, Hormonal - therapeutic use; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols - therapeutic use; Astrocytoma - drug therapy; Astrocytoma - mortality; Astrocytoma - radiotherapy; Astrocytoma - therapy; Brain Stem Neoplasms - drug therapy; Brain Stem Neoplasms - mortality; Brain Stem Neoplasms - radiotherapy; Brain Stem Neoplasms - therapy; Brazil - epidemiology; Carboplatin - administration & dosage; Child; Child, Preschool; Combined Modality Therapy; Female; Humans; Life Tables; Male; Prognosis; Radiotherapy, High-Energy; Remission Induction; Salvage Therapy; Survival Analysis; Tamoxifen - therapeutic use; Treatment Outcome; Vincristine - administration & dosage
• ISSN: 1699-048X; 1699-3055
• DOI: 10.1007/s12094-006-0094-9

Diffuse brainstem tumors in children are rare and its treatment is controversial. Although radiotherapy (RT) used to be the treatment of choice, results remained unsatisfactory. The association of RT with other therapies is common, but lacks scientific data regarding its efficacy. Comparison of results of irradiation alone versus combined treatment modalities is crucial in improving survival. The authors reviewed twenty-four patients with diffuse brainstem tumors, with mean age of 7 years, treated from December 90 to November 99, at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. These patients were subdivided in four groups according to the treatment option at the onset of symptoms. Four patients were treated with radiation alone (total dose of 50 Gy to 62.4 Gy), 6 patients with chemotherapy and radiation, 8 with tamoxifen and radiation and 6 with tamoxifen, radiation and chemotherapy. The results of the different groups were them compared. Clinical response was observed in 83.3% of our children, briefly followed by progressive disease. Mean survival was 17 months with no statistically significant differences among the groups. Four patients were alive at the end of the study, with a mean survival of 32.4 months, all of them received combined therapy, but with no statistically significant differences. Neither the association of radiation therapy with chemotherapy, tamoxifen nor both have showed survival improvement. The prognosis of these patients remains very poor and only investigational trials would justify a highly aggressive approach.