The Role of Time as a Prognostic Factor in Pediatric Brain Tumors: a Multivariate Survival Analysis

Patient- and parent-reported diagnostic delay in children with central nervous system tumors in Denmark

BACKGROUND

Diagnostic delays in childhood tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) pose a significant challenge. The aim of this study was to map diagnostic delay and presenting symptoms in Denmark.

METHODS

The study was a retrospective questionnaire study, mapping delay and symptoms in pediatric patients (0-17 years), diagnosed with a CNS tumor from 2015 to 2019. Descriptive analysis was performed to measure delay in days, reported as total diagnostic interval (TDI), patient interval (PI), and diagnostic interval (DI). Analysis of symptoms, contacts to healthcare professionals, and socioeconomic status was also performed.

RESULTS

We included 89 patients (median age 7.0 years, 54% male). The TDI was median of 106 days (range: 0-2694 days). Low-grade tumors had longer TDI than high-grade tumors (125 vs. 43 days; p ≤ .02). Patients aged 15-17 displayed the longest TDI (median 665 days). Number of symptoms at onset were inversely associated with longer TDI in patients presenting one symptom (247 days) and patients presenting two to three (110 days) or greater than three complaints (66 days). PI was not associated with sex (p = .14), tumor grade (p = .63), location (p = .32), or socioeconomic status (p = .82). Most frequent single complaint at onset was headache (19%), most frequent combination of symptoms was headache and vomiting (60%).

CONCLUSION

We found TDIs longer than reported in contemporary publications. TDI was longer in patients with low-grade tumors and only few symptoms at the time of onset. The findings support the crucial need of awareness and improved diagnostic tools to recognize and interpret symptoms to promote timely diagnosis.

Hjernetegn.dk-The Danish Central Nervous System Tumor Awareness Initiative Digital Decision Support Tool: Design and Implementation Report

BACKGROUND

Childhood tumors in the central nervous system (CNS) have longer diagnostic delays than other pediatric tumors. Vague presenting symptoms pose a challenge in the diagnostic process; it has been indicated that patients and parents may be hesitant to seek help, and health care professionals (HCPs) may lack awareness and knowledge about clinical presentation. To raise awareness among HCPs, the Danish CNS tumor awareness initiative hjernetegn.dk was launched.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to present the learnings from designing and implementing a decision support tool for HCPs to reduce diagnostic delay in childhood CNS tumors. The aims also include decisions regarding strategies for dissemination and use of social media, and an evaluation of the digital impact 6 months after launch.

METHODS

The phases of developing and implementing the tool include participatory co-creation workshops, designing the website and digital platforms, and implementing a press and media strategy. The digital impact of hjernetegn.dk was evaluated through website analytics and social media engagement.

IMPLEMENTATION (RESULTS)

hjernetegn.dk was launched in August 2023. The results after 6 months exceeded key performance indicators. The analysis showed a high number of website visitors and engagement, with a plateau reached 3 months after the initial launch. The LinkedIn campaign and Google Search strategy also generated a high number of impressions and clicks.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that the initiative has been successfully integrated, raising awareness and providing a valuable tool for HCPs in diagnosing childhood CNS tumors. The study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, co-creation, and ongoing community management, as well as broad dissemination strategies when introducing a digital support tool.

Risk Factors for Pediatric Intracranial Neoplasms in the Kids' Inpatient Database

INTRODUCTION

In children and adolescents, brain and central nervous system (CNS) tumors are the leading types of cancers. Past studies have found differing rates of intracranial cancers among races and identified additional cancer risk factors. This study aimed to see if these differences can be substantiated with further investigation of the latest version (2019) of the Kids' Inpatient Database (KID).

METHODS

A total of 7,818 pediatric patients <21 years old in KID with ICD-10 codes consisting of malignant neoplasms of the brain, brainstem, and cerebral meninges (C700, C709-C719) were queried. Modifiable risk factors evaluated include: hospital region, insurance type, hospital city size, the average income of patient zip code, and location/teaching status of a hospital. Non-modifiable risk factors were race and sex at birth. Dependent variables were tested in Excel and GraphPad Prism 9 using a χ2 test with Yates' continuity correction and Tukey's one-way and two-way ANOVAs.

RESULTS

Mortality rates of females (2.88%) compared to males (1.99%) were significant (p < 0.05). Mortality was (4.17%) in black patients compared to (1.68%) for white (p < 0.0001), Hispanic mortality (2.95%) compared to white (p < 0.01), and mortality of Asian/Pacific Islander (3.86%) compared to white (p < 0.01). Black patients had significantly higher mortality than white, Hispanic, Asian/Pacific Islander, Native American, and other races overall (p < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the mortality rates between children's hospitals and large hospitals for any race. After accounting for patient race, mortality was still not significantly different for patients with Medicaid insurance compared to non-Medicaid insurance types. Of the children treated at children's hospitals, the most transferred in from outside hospitals were Native American (20.00%) followed by Asian/Pacific Islander (15.09%) then Hispanic patients (13.67%). A significant difference between races was also seen regarding length of stay (p < 0.001) and number of charges (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

These findings confirm prior studies suggesting gender and race are significant factors in mortality rates for children with intracranial neoplasms. However, the findings do not identify the root causes of these discrepancies but may serve as an impetus for clinicians, healthcare administrators, and governmental leaders to improve national resource allocation to better care for pediatric patients with intracranial neoplasms.

Ophthalmic symptoms, clinical signs and diagnostic delay in infants diagnosed with brain tumours in Denmark between 2007 and 2017

PURPOSE

To investigate ophthalmic onset manifestations and the impact of diagnostic delay on the prognosis in infants (<1 year) diagnosed with a brain tumour.

METHODS

A retrospective population-based nationwide study of infants diagnosed with a brain tumour between 2007 and 2017 in Denmark. Data was retrieved from the Danish Childhood Cancer Registry, the National Danish Health registries, and medical files. Primary outcome measures included symptoms, clinical findings, time to diagnosis and survival.

RESULTS

Thirty-seven infants were diagnosed with a brain tumour in Denmark between 2007 and 2017. In total, 19/37 infants (51%, 95% CI: 34-68) had ophthalmic manifestations at any time prior to or at diagnosis; and in 6/37 (16%, 95% CI: 6-32) ophthalmic manifestations were the initial symptom. The most common ophthalmic manifestations were strabismus (n = 7), sunset eyes (n = 6), nystagmus (n = 4), reduced pupillary light reflex (n = 4), and/or decreased vision (n = 4). The median number of symptoms per infant at the time of diagnosis was three (range 0-9). The median diagnostic delay was 26 days (range 0-283, IQR: 6;90). 5-year survival rate was 75% (95% CI: 61-90) and all children with diagnostic delay > 100 days (n = 9, 24%) were still alive at the end of follow-up (median 6.3 years, range 2.2-10.2).

CONCLUSION

We provide an overview of symptoms and clinical signs in a nation-wide series of infants with CNS tumours and demonstrate that ophthalmic manifestations are frequently observed in infants prior to diagnosis, but, often in combination with other clinical signs. The diagnostic delay was substantial for a large part of the infants, but this was not associated with increased mortality.

Prognostic factors of pediatric ependymomas at a National Cancer Reference Center in Peru

Background

Ependymomas are central nervous system tumors that significantly impact the quality of life and carry a high mortality rate. Both the disease itself and its treatment cause significant morbidity. At a national level in Peru, there are no reports on clinical characteristics of the disease.

Methods

This retrospective study captured patient aged less than 19 years with a diagnosis of ependymoma from 2012 to 2022 at a tertiary center in Lima.

Results

85 patients were included with a median follow-up time was 51.6 months. The 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival were 55.89% (95% CI: 44.28 - 65.99) and 37.71% (95% CI: 26,21-49,16) respectively. The main prognostic factors identified were completed treatment (p=0.019), adjuvant chemotherapy (p=0.048), presence of metastasis (p=0.012), and disease recurrence (p=0.02).

Conclusions

The survival of patients with ependymoma is below that reported in high-income countries. Incomplete treatment and treatment abandonment are factors that negatively impact the prognosis. Further studies are needed to identify barriers in the referral and treatment process for patients with ependymoma.

Drivers of Differential Time to Diagnosis in Pediatric ALL Tied to Race and Ethnicity

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood malignancy, with diagnosis preceded by symptoms that may include fever, weight loss, fatigue, bleeding, and bruising. Timely diagnosis and treatment of ALL may lead to improved outcomes and reduced morbidity from associated complications, including tumor lysis syndrome, hyperviscosity, and stroke. We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of 274 pediatric pre-B cell ALL and acute lymphoblastic lymphoma patients within Montefiore Health System to determine whether there were factors associated with time from symptom onset to diagnosis. The median time to diagnosis for all patients was 11.5 days (interquartile range: 7.8, 14.3). Those with Medicaid insurance (n=189) were diagnosed sooner than those with private/self-pay insurance (n=85) (median of 10 vs. 16 days; P =0.05). English and other language speakers experienced fewer median days from symptom onset to diagnosis date compared with Spanish speakers (11 vs. 7 vs. 14; P =0.05). Insurance status may impact the time to diagnosis to a greater degree in non-Hispanic patients, while the English language and female sex may represent a greater advantage to Hispanic patients. Insurance status and language preference may impact the time to diagnosis of pediatric ALL. There is a further need to confirm our findings and to study possible causes driving these disparities.

Delay in the diagnosis of paediatric brain tumours: a systematic review

PURPOSE

A delay in obtaining a diagnosis has been associated with inferior outcomes across several cancer types, including paediatric brain tumours. However, no clear evidence exists in this population. We aimed to quantify the reported pre-diagnostic symptom interval (PSI) as the time from onset of first symptoms to diagnosis in the literature, in addition to evaluating the relationship between delay and outcomes, including survival.

METHODS

A systematic review of the literature was performed in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. MEDLINE, Wiley Online Library, Web of Science and EMBASE databases were searched. We considered all sources published between 1st January 2010 and 5th November 2022. Children and adolescents aged under 21 years, with new symptomatic primary brain tumour diagnoses, were included.

RESULTS

Of 3123 studies identified, 11 were included for analysis. Owing to study heterogeneity, a quantitative meta-analysis was not feasible; however, a narrative synthesis was performed. The median reported PSI varied widely, ranging between 28 and 760.8 days. We failed to identify a significant association between prolonged PSI and inferior overall survival. Few factors were consistently associated with prolonged PSI, amongst them only tumour grade and patient age.

CONCLUSION

Delayed diagnosis of paediatric brain tumours was not associated with inferior survival within this review. This 'waiting time' paradox appears to result from several confounding factors including tumour biology, patient population and key systematic factors that were inconsistently reported. Diagnostic interval clearly presents a complex variable, reflected further by disparity in the reporting of delay within the literature. Ultimately diagnostic interval is unlikely to provide a meaningful representation for all tumour types and should not detract from sharp clinical acumen and prompt diagnosis.

Predictors of Delayed Diagnosis of Pediatric CNS Tumors in the Emergency Department

OBJECTIVE

Central nervous system (CNS) tumor diagnoses are frequently delayed in children, which may lead to adverse outcomes and undue burdens on families. Examination of factors associated with delayed emergency department (ED) diagnosis could identify approaches to reduce delays.

STUDY DESIGN

We performed a case-control study using data from 2014 to 2017 for 6 states. We included children aged 6 months to 17 years with a first diagnosis of CNS tumor in the ED. Cases had a delayed diagnosis, defined as 1 or more ED visits in the 140 days preceding tumor diagnosis (the mean prediagnostic symptomatic interval for pediatric CNS tumors in the United States). Controls had no such preceding visit.

RESULTS

We included 2828 children (2139 controls, 76%; 689 cases, 24%). Among cases, 68% had 1 preceding ED visit, 21% had 2, and 11% had 3 or more. Significant predictors of delayed diagnosis included presence of a complex chronic condition (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 9.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 6.67-14.20), rural hospital location (aOR, 6.37; 95% CI, 1.80-22.54), nonteaching hospital status (aOR, 3.05, compared with teaching hospitals; 95% CI, 1.94-4.80), age younger than 5 years (aOR, 1.57; 95% CI, 1.16-2.12), public insurance (aOR, 1.49, compared with private; 95% CI, 1.16-1.92), and Black race (aOR, 1.42, compared with White; 95% CI, 1.01-1.98).

CONCLUSIONS

Delayed ED diagnosis of pediatric CNS tumors is common and frequently requires multiple ED encounters. Prevention of delays should focus on careful evaluation of young or chronically ill children, mitigating disparities for Black and publicly insured children, and improving pediatric readiness in rural and nonteaching EDs.

Outcomes of Children With Low-Grade Gliomas in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: A Systematic Review

PURPOSE

Pediatric CNS tumors are increasingly a priority, particularly with the WHO designation of low-grade glioma (LGG) as one of six index childhood cancers. There are currently limited data on outcomes of pediatric patients with LGGs in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).

METHODS

To better understand the outcomes of LGGs in LMICs, this systematic review interrogated nine literature databases.

RESULTS

The search identified 14,977 publications. Sixteen studies from 19 countries met the selection criteria and were included for data abstraction and analysis. Eleven studies (69%) were retrospective reviews from single institutions, and one (6%) captured institutional data prospectively. The studies captured a total of 957 patients with a median of 49 patients per study. Seven (44%) of the studies described the treatment modalities used. Of 373 patients for whom there was information, 173 (46%) had a gross total or near total resection, 109 (29%) had a subtotal resection, and 91 (24%) had only a biopsy performed. Seven studies, with a total of 476 patients, described the frequency of use of radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy in the cohorts: 83 of these patients received radiotherapy and 76 received chemotherapy. The 5-year overall survival ranged from 69.2% to 93.5%, although lower survival rates were reported at earlier time points. We identified limitations in the published studies with respect to the cohort sizes and methodologies.

CONCLUSION

The included studies reported survival rates frequently exceeding 80%, although the ultimate number of studies was limited, pointing to the paucity of studies describing the outcomes of children with LGGs in LMICs. This study underscores the need for more robust data on outcomes in pediatric LGG.

Childhood Cancer Survival, 2006-2012 Cohorts of Mexican Institute of Social Security Beneficiaries at the Central-South Region of Mexico

Introduction

In Mexico, the main institution of social security is the “Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social” (IMSS), with more than 60 million enrolled individuals. This study of childhood cancer survival is the first based on complete cohorts of incident cases for the population IMSS- affiliated in the central-south region, which represents 27% of all children IMSS affiliated.

Methods

It is an observational cohort study from 2006 to 2012 to estimate the 5-year observed survival of the minors under 18 years old, identified in the Central-South Region Registry of Children with Cancer. The survival of cases was carried out through the active and passive search. Survival rates were estimated by the Kaplan–Meier (KM) method, the analysis of equality of survival functions was evaluated for some clinical variables.

Results

The study included 2,357 minors; the 5-year observed survival was 56.1% with a time of survival median of 3.4 years, and the overall loss of follow-up was 18.4%. The 5-year survival in cases with a diagnosis of leukemia was 53.5%, while for solid tumors, it was 57.9%. The median time of death was 1 year. The types of cancer with a survival greater than 70% were group V-retinoblastoma (87.2%), IIa-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (86.8%), Xc- gonadal tumors (83.3%), Iid-miscellaneous lymphomas (80%), IVa-nephroblastoma (79.5%), and IIc-Burkitt’s lymphoma (75.4%). Meanwhile, the lowest survival rates were in group VIII-bone tumors (32.3%), III-CNS (central nervous system; 44.1%), and IX-soft tissues (46.8%).

Conclusions

Survival results in the 2006–2012 cohorts show a significant gap in relation to the goal of 60% proposed by the World Health Organization for 2030.

Compassionate use of Quantum Magnetic Resonance Therapy for treatment of children with Diffuse Brainstem Glioma in Mexico City: a single institutional experience

PURPOSE

Diffuse Brainstem Glioma (DBG) is a catastrophic brain tumor with a survival rate of less than 10% two years after diagnosis despite the existence of different treatment protocols. Among the devices that use magnetic fields generated by Magnetic Resonance Imaging is Quantum Magnetic Resonance Therapy (QMRT).

METHODS

Five children diagnosed with DBG in our institution in Mexico City underwent treatment of compassionate use with QMRT between December 2018 and July 2019. A survival analysis was performed with previously reported historical data (n = 15).

RESULTS

Two patients (40%) survived after three years of follow-up; the log-rank test showed a statistically significant difference in overall survival between both groups (p = 0.032). All patients tolerated the treatment adequately without reporting any severe clinical or neuroradiological adverse effects. Of the patients included, all showed a decrease in the tumor one month after the end of the treatment, although there was great variability in the response and the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.06).

CONCLUSIONS

Although future investigations are needed to confirm the findings reported in the present study, the improvement in survival is promising for a group of patients whose prognosis has been catastrophic over the years. Trial registration NCT03577600.