Brain tumors in childhood: statistical analysis of cases from the Brain Tumor Registry of Japan

Abstract

This paper attempts to summarize and statistically analyze 2,361 pediatric brain tumors out of a total of 20,192 human brain tumors from about 250 institutes in Japan during the period 1969-1978 in order to obtain an idea of their incidence and results of treatment. This report uses the classification and nomenclature adopted by UICC (Unio Internationalis Contra Cancrum) in 1965. Survival rate was computed as relative survival rate by the method reported by Cutler in 1964 [3]. Interestingly, germinomas (7.8%) are still frequent tumors in Japan. Astrocytoma (19.7%), medulloblastoma (16.6%), craniopharyngioma (12.5%), germinoma (7.8%) and ependymoma (6.6%) occurred in that order of frequency. Five-year survival rate of medulloblastoma was 35.7% in subtotal and 55.3% in "total" removal. Radiotherapy was an effective therapeutic adjunct for the treatment of medulloblastoma. The germinoma prognosis was good, with a 5-year survival rate of 42.4% without and 69.1% with radiation therapy, revealing radiotherapy as a statistically significant treatment. Radiotherapy, with or without shunt, is thus the treatment of choice. The survival rate of patients with craniopharyngiomas was also high, with a 5-year survival of approximately 75% in partial and 76.3% in total removal. Most of the craniopharyngiomas were treated by partial removal of the tumor, with or without radiotherapy. Patients treated with radiotherapy survived a little longer than patients without.