Abstract
In the cross-sectional study HIT-ENDO, data on the therapy and prognosis of 258 patients with childhood craniopharyngioma (CP) were analyzed. Aims of the prospective study KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000 were to collect data on the incidence and time course of relapses after complete surgery and of tumor progressions after incomplete resection. Between October 2001 and June 2006, 98 patients with CP were ...
Abstract
In the cross-sectional study HIT-ENDO, data on the therapy and prognosis of 258 patients with childhood craniopharyngioma (CP) were analyzed. Aims of the prospective study KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2000 were to collect data on the incidence and time course of relapses after complete surgery and of tumor progressions after incomplete resection. Between October 2001 and June 2006, 98 patients with CP were recruited. Complete resection was achieved in 43% and subtotal resection in 45%. Irradiation (XRT) was performed in 24 of 98 CP patients at a median age of 11.5 years (range 4-18 years) and after a mean interval of 10 months after first diagnosis. Analysis of event-free survival rates (EFS) showed a high rate of early events in terms of tumor progression after incomplete resection (3-year EFS =0.22 +/- 0.087) and relapses after complete resection (3-year EFS =0.60 +/- 0.098) during the first 3 years of follow-up. We conclude that tumor progression and relapse are frequent and early events. Monitoring of cerebral imaging and clinical status is recommended in the follow-up of patients with childhood CP. To analyze the appropriate time point for XRT after incomplete resection, health-related quality of life, EFS, and overall survival in patients (at age of 5 years or older) will be analyzed in KRANIOPHARYNGEOM 2007 after stratified randomization of the time point for irradiation after incomplete resection (immediate XRT versus XRT at progression of residual tumor).
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