Supratentorial embryonal tumors in children under 5 years of age: an SFOP study of treatment with postoperative chemotherapy alone.

BACKGROUND: To determine the effectiveness of multiagent chemotherapy as sole post-operative treatment of supratentorial central nervous system (CNS) embryonal tumors in young children.

PROCEDURE: The data of 25 children under 5 years of age diagnosed with supratentorial embryonal tumors (17 primitive neuroectodermal tumors, four pinealoblastomas, and four medulloepitheliomas) treated exclusively by postoperative chemotherapy (CT) between 1990 and 1997 were reviewed.

RESULTS: Fifteen tumors were hemispheric and 10 were deeply seated. Four children presented with disseminated leptomeningeal disease. Total resection was performed in nine patients, subtotal in 9, partial in 3, and a diagnostic biopsy only in 2. Two children did not undergo surgery. Twenty-four children relapsed with a median time of 5.5 months. The median overall survival was 12 months, and the 2-, and 5- year survivals were 30 and 14%, respectively. The 2- year disease-free survival was 4%. There was a significantly worse prognosis in patients undergoing incomplete resection and in the group with deeply situated tumors. Four relapses were treated by second surgery followed by high-dose chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Two of them remain in CR2, and all these children are free of late sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS: CT alone failed to maintain disease-free survival in most of the children, although, disease progression was delayed to some extent. Children under 5 years with supratentorial embryonal tumors should undergo total surgical resection if possible.