Results of treatment of children with malignant tumors of the central nervous system in the Kharkiv region

Abstract

Tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) in children among other tumors are second only to leukemia 17.6%. According to statistics, about 10.000 diseases are registered in the world every year. The range of histological forms of CNS tumors is extremely wide and diverse. Today there are more than 120 forms and varieties of such tumors. However, approximately 80% of cases in pediatric practice are represented by the following histological forms: medulloblastoma, juvenile pilocytic astrocytoma, diffuse infiltrative astrocytomas, ependymoma and craniopharyngioma. Other tumors of the central nervous system in children are much less common [2; 3;5]. There may be some discrepancies between the histological features and the biological behavior of CNS tumors. This is most pronounced in some cases of well-differentiated meningiomas, which can grow invasively into the surrounding tissues (skull bones and brain) and even metastasize to internal organs. At the same time in the primary center vascular invasion is not defined. Thus, when diagnosing and determining the degree of malignancy, it is necessary to consider the individual characteristics of each specific CNS tumor, which is not always possible in full when using existing research methods. The variety of histological forms of tumors, the difference of their molecular biological markers requires a balanced and differentiated approach to the choice of treatment. And the prognosis of the disease directly depends on the correct choice of tactics. Treatment of CNS malignancies is a complex multidisciplinary process that includes immunogenetic studies, stages of neurosurgical treatment, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Moreover, the treatment strategy depends not only on the histological structure of the tumor, but also on the age of the child, the presence of local or widespread tumor, as well as the localization of tumor foci in the structures of the brain and spinal cord. The article presents the results of treatment of CNS tumors in children according to the municipal non-profit enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital No. 1” for 5 years. An analysis of various modern treatment options and the effectiveness of therapy. The treatment of malignant tumors of the CNS is a complex multidisciplinary process that includes immunogenetic studies, stages of neurosurgical treatment, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. Moreover, the treatment strategy depends not only on the histological structure of the tumor, but also on the age of the child, the presence of a local or widespread tumor, and also on the localization of tumor foci in the structures of the brain and spinal cord. The article presents the results of treatment of CNS tumors in children according to the municipal non-profit enterprise of the Kharkiv Regional Council “Regional Children’s Clinical Hospital № 1” for 5 years. An analysis of various modern treatment options and the effectiveness of therapy was carried out.