Characterization of pediatric patients with malignant tumors at the central nervous system in Holguín province

Abstract

Introduction: Neoplasms of the central nervous system represent the second most frequent neoplasm in patients under twenty years of age, and despite the improvement of the diagnostic and therapeutic process, they constitute a significant cause of morbidity and mortality.

Objective: To characterize pediatric patients with malignant tumors of the central nervous system in Holguín province.

Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study was carried out. The universe consisted of fourteen pediatric patients diagnosed with malignant tumors of the central nervous system. The entire universe was used for the research. The variables studied were age, sex, histological classification, degree of malignancy and location.

Data were collected from clinical histories and biopsy records. These were analyzed using descriptive statistics.

Results: Patients of the female sex (n=8), in the age range from six to ten years old (n=7) were predominant, representing 50% and 57.1% respectively. The most common histological diagnosis was astrocytic tumors (n=9) for 64.3%. Diffuse astrocytomas were present in all age ranges with equal distribution. Grade II malignancy was chara0.⁽¹⁾cteristic of the tumors (n=6) for 42.8% and infratentorial localization was common (n=10), for 71.4%.

Conclusions: Diffuse astrocytic tumors of low degree of malignancy are the most common histological variety in childhood, despite affecting indistinctly the age ranges. The female sex was the most affected and were commonly located in infratentorial structures.