Analysis of Survival Prognosis for Children with Symptomatic Optic Pathway Gliomas Who Received Surgery

Objective: The feasibility and prognosis of surgical treatment for children with optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) is controversial. Therefore this study attempted to evaluate the effects of surgery and discuss prognostic factors related to the survival of children with symptomatic OPGs.

Materials and methods: One-hundred twenty-five children diagnosed with OPGs underwent surgery in the Department of Neurosurgery, Beijing Tiantan Hospital from 2003-2016. In this retrospective study, their demographics, clinical characteristics, treatments, and survival outcomes were investigated and summarized.

Results: Among the 125 patients, the 5-year overall survival (OS) rate and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were 84.1% and 70.6%, respectively. In the univariate analysis, patients who received postoperative radiotherapy (RT) after surgery had significantly better 5-year OS and PFS rates than patients who did not receive RT (P < 0.001 for both comparisons), patients who were 3 years old had better PFS rates than younger patients (P < 0.001), and patients with endocrinology symptoms had significantly worse PFS rates than patients with other symptoms (P = 0.049). In the multiple regression analysis, postoperative treatment with RT and tumors with a lower pathologic grade were better predictors of OS. An age older than 3 years and postoperative treatment with RT were better predictors of PFS.

Conclusions: Surgery is safe and feasible for children with large volumes of OPGs and symptoms of functional impairment and obstructive hydrocephalus. Furthermore, adjuvant RT after surgery may significantly improve OS and PFS. The pathologic grade is an independent prognostic factor for OS, and the age at diagnosis is an independent prognostic factor for PFS.