Surgical Management of Brain Tumors in Infants Under One Year of Age

The reported incidence of brain tumors under one year of age is 10 % of all pediatric brain tumors. The prognosis is poor. Treatment strategies are challenging. The purpose of the study was to analyse information regarding the clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of these patients. Retrospective clinical data were collected from medical records of the patients surgically treated for intracranial mass lesions at our institution between January 2006 and December 2016. Their medical records were analysed for age at diagnosis, symptoms, location, histology, surgical procedures, adjuvant treatment, and survival. Dermoid, epidermoid cysts and other skull-based lesions were excluded from the analysis. Twenty-three cases of brain tumors in the first year of life were identified. There were 14 boys and 9 girls. The median age at diagnosis was 8.2 months and the most common presenting symptoms were increased nausea and vomiting, head circumference. Gross total resection was achieved in 75,8% of patients and choroid plexus papilloma is the most common histopathological diagnosis. Eight patients received adjuvant chemotherapy, while one of them received salvage radiotherapy. Treatment of the brain tumors in the first year of life is challenging. Patients present with a variety of tumor pathologies at different locations. More studies are needed to understand the best treatment options.