Cancer Management and Research (Nov 2018)

The role of postoperative radiotherapy in pediatric patients with grade II intracranial ependymomas: a population-based, propensity score-matched study

  • Deng X,
  • Lin D,
  • Yu L,
  • Xu X,
  • Zhang N,
  • Zhou H,
  • Sheng H,
  • Yin B,
  • Lin F,
  • Xu S,
  • Li DD,
  • Fang J,
  • Lu X,
  • Lin J

Journal volume & issue
Vol. Volume 10
pp. 5515 – 5524

Abstract

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Xiangyang Deng,1 Dongdong Lin,1 Lisheng Yu,1 Xingxing Xu,2 Nu Zhang,1 Hui Zhou,1 Hansong Sheng,1 Bo Yin,1 Fengchun Lin,1 Shangyu Xu,1 Dandong Li,1 Junhao Fang,1 Xiangqi Lu,1 Jian Lin1 1Department of Neurosurgery, The Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children’s Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China; 2Department of Physiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, China Purpose: The main objectives of this study were to clarify the efficacy of postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) for pediatric intracranial grade II ependymomas (EPNs) and to explore whether various characteristics are associated with different outcomes in patients with and without PORT.Patients and methods: Data from patients younger than 18 years diagnosed with grade II intracranial EPNs and treated by surgery, with or without PORT, were obtained from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1973–2013 data set). Propensity score-matched analysis was conducted to balance clinical variables. Patient characteristics were stratified and analyzed.Results: In total, data from 632 patients with grade II EPNs treated by cancer-directed surgery with or without PORT were obtained from the SEER database. Multivariable Cox analysis in the matched cohort suggested that undergoing PORT (overall survival [OS], P=0.020; cancer-specific survival [CSS], P=0.031), undergoing gross total resection (GTR; subtotal resection [STR] vs GTR; OS, P<0.001; CSS, P<0.001), and older age (OS, P<0.001; CSS, P<0.001) were the independent predictors of superior prognosis. Stratified analysis demonstrated that patient characteristics, including infratentorial location, younger age, and STR, were associated with benefit from PORT, while the survival advantage was not detected in patients who underwent GTR.Conclusion: Propensity score-matched analysis using SEER data indicates survival advantages of PORT. Given the strong prognostic associations with extent of resection and patient age, we recommend PORT for younger patients treated by STR. Keywords: pediatric, oncology, SEER, radiotherapy

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