Comparing central nervous system (CNS) and extra‐CNS hemangiopericytomas in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program

BACKGROUND: Hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) are rare tumors in the central nervous system (CNS) and in extra‐CNS sites. The authors of this report used the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program to study prognostic factors in patients with HPC. METHODS: The SEER database was analyzed for patients who were diagnosed with HPC tumors from 1973 to 2007. Patients were stratified into CNS and extra‐CNS groups. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed for the overall survival (OS) endpoint using major demographic factors (age, race, and sex) and disease factors (tumor site). RESULTS: In total, 655 patients with HPC were stratified into a CNS group (n = 199) and an extra‐CNS group (n = 456). The patients with extra‐CNS HPC were statistically older (mean age, 53 years vs 49 years; P = .008) and were more likely to have larger tumors (median greatest dimension, 7.0 cm vs 5.2 cm; P < .001). Patients who had CNS tumors had better OS and cause‐specific survival (CSS) compared with patients who had extra‐CNS tumors (P < .001 for both). Negative predictors of OS on multivariate analysis included extra‐CNS tumor site (hazard ratio [HR], 1.6; P = .005) and older age (ages 40‐59 years: HR, 2.08; P = .032; ages 60‐79 years: HR, 3.9; P < .001; aged ≥80 years: HR, 7.7; P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The current analysis demonstrated that patients with extra‐CNS HPCs had worse OS and CSS than patients with CNS HPCs. Cancer 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society. In this analysis, the authors compare the outcomes of 655 patients with central nervous system (CNS) and extra‐CNS hemangiopericytomas (HPCs) in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results program database. A highly statistically significant difference in outcomes between patients with CNS and those with extra‐CNS HPCs is presented along with a review of the current literature.