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Primary spinal gliomas are rare. Most clinical studies are based on single centers with small numbers of patients and limited length of follow-up. Because data from the Cancer Registry cover larger numbers of patients and longer durations of follow-up, our objective was to define prognostic factors that might predict the survival at a national population level. From 1971 to 1995, data of 81 children (age < 15 years) with primary spinal gliomas from the Cancer Registry of England and Wales were analyzed. Median survival and crude survival rates in respect of 7 variables (age, sex, morphology, WHO grade, socioeconomic status, geographical region, and period of diagnosis) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. The Cox regression was performed for estimating hazard ratios (HR) for death. Results showed that the 1-, 5-, and 10-year crude survival rates for this population were 72.84, 60.49, and 58.0%, respectively. Both univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that only morphology (HR 2.79 for nonependymoma, p = 0.05) and WHO grade (HR 6.74 for high grade, p = 0.01) were significant prognostic factors. Results from this population-based study are very helpful for comparison with other population-based studies and for public health purposes., (Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Primary malignant brain tumor is the second most common cancer in children. To investigate factors affecting children's survival at a population level, data of 3,169 patients (age<15 years) from the Cancer Registry in England and Wales were used. They were diagnosed during 1971-1990 and followed up until 1995. Variables including age, gender, morphology, WHO grade, tumor site, socioeconomic status, geographical region, and period of diagnosis were available for analysis using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox hazards ratio (HR) regression. Results showed that the median survival and the 1-, 5-, and 10-year crude survival rate for this population were 8.7 years, 72.4, 54.0, and 49.2% respectively. Survival was influenced by age (HR 0.88/5 years), morphology (ependymoma HR 2.43), WHO grades (HR 1.42/grade), tumor sites (brain stem HR 2.11), and periods of diagnosis (HR 0.88/5 years). Gender, socioeconomic status, and geographical region did not affect their survival. Results from this population-based data are very helpful for comparison with other hospital-based studies and for public health purposes., (Copyright (c) 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

Desmoplastic infantile gangliogliomas (DIGs) are rare tumors during infancy. They often occur as huge cystic tumors in the frontal and parietal lobes, with their solid component being adjacent to the leptomeningeal membrane. This report presents a patient with DIG and intractable epilepsy. Due to hesitation by the patient's family in allowing surgery, this is the first time that the chronological changes in DIG have been observed on imaging studies. During the follow-up, the tumor changed from a pure solid tumor to a cystic one, which is a typical picture of DIG. Surgical pathology confirmed the diagnosis of DIG. However, for a patient with epilepsy, it is recommended that this condition should be treated immediately with surgery., (Copyright 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel)