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Pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma patients from a single center

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Abstract

Background

The prognosis of children with diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG) is dismal. This study aims to evaluate the characteristics and treatment outcome of children with DIPG in a single center.

Methods

We reviewed the outcome of children with DIPG treated at the Oncology Institute of Istanbul University from February 1999 to May 2012.

Results

Fifty children (26 female, 24 male) with the median age of 7 years were analyzed. The median duration of symptoms was 30 days. All patients received radiotherapy (RT). Before the year 2000, 12 patients received only RT. Thirty-eight had concomitant and/or adjuvant chemotherapy with RT. Between 2000 and 2004, 17 patients received cis-platinum or vincristine as sensitizers during RT and CCNU + vincristine combination after RT. Since 2004, 21 patients received temozolomide (TMZ) concomitantly during RT and as adjuvant chemotherapy after RT. The median survival time of all patients was 13 months (1–160 months). Patients receiving RT + TMZ had a significantly higher overall survival than patients with only RT (p = 0.018). Patients receiving RT + chemotherapy other than TMZ also had a significantly higher overall survival than patients receiving only RT (p = 0.013). Patients receiving RT + TMZ + and chemotherapy other than TMZ had a significantly higher survival than patients receiving only RT (p = 0.005).

Conclusion

In our series, patients receiving RT + TMZ and also patients receiving RT + chemotherapy other than TMZ had a significantly higher overall survival than patients treated with only RT. Hence, administering chemotherapy during and after RT seems to prolong survival in some DIPG patients.

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Acknowledgments

Prof. Dr. Rian Disci is the statistics professor at Istanbul University Oncology Institute. The authors thank Prof. Dr. Riyan Disci for reviewing the statistical analysis. This study was partly presented as a poster at the 48th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, 1–5 June 2012, Chicago, IL, USA.

Conflict of interest

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pediatric Hematology–Oncology, Cerrahpasa Medical Faculty and Oncology Institute, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Rejin Kebudi & Omer Gorgun

  2. Pediatric Hematology–Oncology, Oncology Institute, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Rejin Kebudi, Omer Gorgun & Inci Ayan

  3. Department of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology, School of Medicine, Bezmialem Vakif University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Fatma Betul Cakir

  4. Department of Radiation Oncology, Oncology Institute, Istanbul University, Istanbul, Turkey

    Fulya Yaman Agaoglu & Emin Darendeliler

Authors
  1. Rejin Kebudi
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  2. Fatma Betul Cakir
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  3. Fulya Yaman Agaoglu
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  4. Omer Gorgun
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Correspondence to Rejin Kebudi or Fulya Yaman Agaoglu.

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Kebudi, R., Cakir, F.B., Agaoglu, F.Y. et al. Pediatric diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma patients from a single center. Childs Nerv Syst 29, 583–588 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-012-1986-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-012-1986-3

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