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Pediatric glioblastoma: a single institution experience

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Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to evaluate characteristics of childhood glioblastoma multiforme, effectiveness of treatment modalities, and detect factors related to outcome.

Methods

A detailed analysis was performed on a series of 15 patients treated between 2000 and 2013, based on their clinical, radiologic, pathologic, treatment, and follow-up data.

Results

Median survival time of children with glioblastoma was 13.5 months. One- and 2-year overall survival probabilities were 66.7 and 20 %, respectively. There were no significant differences in survival based on patients’ gender, age, disease presentation with or without epileptic seizures, signs/symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, or tumor location. The presence of neurological deficit initially, as well as prior to radiotherapy, which was quantified by neurologic function score (NFS), had an impact on overall survival. Children with NFS 0 lived longer compared to others (p = 0.001). Survival of children that underwent gross total resection was longer than that of children that underwent subtotal resection (p = 0.030). Mean survival time of children with gross total resection was 73.5 months, compared to 13 months in children with subtotal resection. There was no significant correlation between outcome and type of radiotherapy. In four patients with gigantocellular glioblastoma, we found no evidence of a better prognosis. Two long-term survivors were recorded. Both of them underwent gross total resection and were assigned a NFS 0.

Conclusions

Gross total resection is essential for longer overall survival among pediatric patients with glioblastoma and offers a possibility for long-term survival. Severity of neurologic symptoms quantified by NFS can be considered as a potential predictor of outcome.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Ana Ivkovic, senior librarian at the Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Belgrade, for her assistance with the preparation of this manuscript. We are also grateful to Mina Nikitovic, linguist, for her help with the linguistic aspects of this manuscript. Tatjana Pekmezovic was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science, and Technological Development of the Republic of Serbia (grant no. 175087).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Dr Subotica 8, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Marina Nikitović, Tatjana Pekmezović, Milica Skender Gazibara & Danica Grujičić

  2. Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Clinic for Radiation Oncology, Pasterova 14, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Marina Nikitović, Dragana Stanić, Jelena Bokun, Milan Sarić & Ivana Mišković

  3. Institute for Oncology and Radiology of Serbia, Clinic for Pediatric Oncology, Pasterova 14, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Jelena Bokun & Lejla Paripović

  4. Institute of Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Visegradska 26, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Tatjana Pekmezović

  5. Institute of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Pasterova 1, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Milica Skender Gazibara

  6. Clinic of Neurosurgery, Clinical Center of Serbia, Koste Todorovica 4, 11000, Belgrade, Serbia

    Danica Grujičić

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  1. Marina Nikitović
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Correspondence to Marina Nikitović.

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Nikitović, M., Stanić, D., Pekmezović, T. et al. Pediatric glioblastoma: a single institution experience. Childs Nerv Syst 32, 97–103 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2945-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-015-2945-6

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