Management and outcome of unusual pediatric brain tumors: challenges experienced at a tertiary care center of a developing country.

PURPOSE: Primary brain tumors are the most frequent solid pediatric tumors, accounting for 40-50% of all cancers in children. Eighty to ninety percent of the 250,000 new cases of pediatric cancer each year are discovered in low and middle-income nations, where nearly 88 percent of the world's children reside. This article aims to emphasize the unusual presentation, management, and surgical outcome of complex pediatric brain tumors.

METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of patients who were admitted to the neurosurgery department with unusual pediatric brain tumors between March 1, 2019, and March 1, 2022. The study included pediatric patients up to age 18 years. We included those pediatric brain tumors whose (i) location was uncommon, or (ii) presented with unusual clinical presentation, or (iii) histopathology suggested to be a rare tumor, or (iv) radiological features were atypical.

RESULTS

We included 9 cases of rare unusual pediatric brain tumors. Three out of 9 cases required preoperative embolization due to its hypervascular nature on digital subtraction angiography (DSA). All patients underwent surgical excision within 24-48 h of tumor devascularization. One out of 9 cases died in follow-up period due to pleural effusion and distant metastasis to lungs.

CONCLUSION

Treatment considerations for unusual pediatric brain tumors include a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach, including community-based screening and proper referral system for early treatment, a variety of treatment modalities, and sophisticated follow-up strategy. Government shall work in coherence with tertiary centers to spread social awareness and provide various financial scheme to prevent treatment dropouts.