eCommons@AKU

Title

Pediatric brainstem gliomas: An institutional experience

Authors

Altaf Ali Laghari, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Mirza Zain Baig, Rudy L. Ruggles Biomedical Research Institute, USA.Follow
Muhammad Ehsan Bari, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Aneela Darbar, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Naureen Mushtaq, Aga Khan UniversityFollow
Umme e Hani Abdullah, Aga Khan University
Daniya Aziz Khan, Aga Khan University

Document Type

Article

Department

Paediatrics and Child Health; Neurosurgery

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical profiles and outcomes of pediatric brainstem gliomas treated at our institute.
Methodology: We reviewed the files of 18 pediatric age group patients diagnosed with brainstem glioma at our institution. The following variables were recorded: age, sex, duration of symptoms, date of diagnosis, main clinical symptoms, Karnofsky performance status score, magnetic resonance imaging findings, histopathology findings, details of the treatment given, disease progression, and date of mortality/last follow-up. This data were then transferred to SPSS version 23 which was used for further analysis.
Results: The mean age of our cohort was 8.6 years (range 3-15). There were 11 (61.1%) males and 7 (38.9%) females. There were 16 (88.9%) patients with diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPGs), 1 (5.6%) patients with exophytic medullary gliomas, and 1 (5.6%) patient with midbrain/tectal glioma. Mean overall survival (OS) was 9.7 months. Mean progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.3 months. All patients with DIPG eventually passed away from their disease. Patients with DIPG who received radiotherapy had a longer OS and PFS than those who did not (9.8 and 6 months vs. 3.4 and 2.4 months). Diagnostic latency >1 month was found to have a statistically significant longer progression-free interval.
Conclusion: DIPGs in the pediatric population have a poor prognosis. Radiotherapy serves to increase survival time but is not curative.

Publication ( Name of Journal)

Asian Journal of Neurosurgery

Recommended Citation

Laghari, A., Baig, M. Z., Bari, M., Darbar, A., Mushtaq, N., Abdullah, U., Khan, D. A. (2019). Pediatric brainstem gliomas: An institutional experience. Asian Journal of Neurosurgery, 1144(1150), 14-4.
Available at: https://ecommons.aku.edu/pakistan_fhs_mc_surg_neurosurg/203

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