Abstract
Background: Very few hospital-based or population-based studies are published in the context
to the epidemiologic profile of pediatric brain tumors (PBTs) in India and Indian
subcontinent. Aim: To study the demographic and histopathologic profile of PBTs according to World Health
Organization 2007 classification in a single tertiary health care center in India.
Materials and Methods: Data regarding age, gender, topography, and histopathology of 76 pediatric patients
(0–19 years) with brain tumors operated over a period of 24 months (January-2012 to
December-2013) was collected retrospectively and analyzed using EpiInfo 7. Chi-square
test and test of proportions (Z-test) were used wherever necessary. Results: PBTs were more common in males (55.3%) as compared to females (44.7%) with male to
female ratio of 1.23:1. Mean age was 10.69 years. Frequency of tumors was higher in
childhood age group (65.8%) when compared to adolescent age group (34.2%). The most
common anatomical site was cerebellum (39.5%), followed by hemispheres (22.4%). Supratentorial
tumors (52.6%) were predominant than infratentorial tumors (47.4%). Astrocytomas (40.8%)
and embryonal tumors (29.0%) were the most common histological types almost contributing
more than 2/3rd of all tumors. Craniopharyngiomas (11.8%) and ependymomas (6.6%) were
the third and fourth most common tumors, respectively. Conclusion: Astrocytomas and medulloblastomas are the most common tumors among children and adolescents
in our region, which needs special attention from the neurosurgical department of
our institute. Demographic and histopathologic profile of cohort in the present study
do not differ substantially from that found in other hospital-based and population-based
studies except for slight higher frequency of craniopharyngiomas.
Key words
Astocytomas - cerebellum - epidemiologic profile - supratentorial tumors - World Health
Organization
