LG-75: CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS AND OUTCOME OF SPINAL CORD ASTRCYTOMAS IN CHILDREN: A SINGLE INSTITUTION EXPERIENCE

Spinal cord glioma (SCG) is the most common intramedullary tumor in children. While pediatric intracranial gliomas are well-described, characteristics and outcomes of SCG are not well understood. A retrospective chart review was performed on patients diagnosed with spinal cord glioma and treated at Children's Hospital Los Angeles from June 1990-June 2011. Central pathology and radiology review was performed on all patients. An institutional review board (IRB) approval was obtained to review the charts for clinical characteristics, treatment, and outcomes. Twenty two patients were identified, including 13 with low-grade (3 diffuse astrocytoma, 4 ganglioglioma, 4 pilocytic astrocytoma, and 2 astrocytoma NOS) and 9 with high-grade glioma (8 anaplastic astrocytoma and 1 glioblastoma). Median age at diagnosis was 11.5 years (range 1.5-16 years). 5-year event-free survival (EFS) and overall survival (OS) for low-grade patients was 66.7% and 100%. Seven of nine high-grade patients died with a median EFS and OS of 8 months and 15 months. Among low-grade patients, 5 received irradiation, 6 chemotherapy, and all received surgery (2 debulking, 9 subtotal, and 2 gross-total resections). Of the high-grade patients, all received irradiation, 7 chemotherapy, and all underwent surgery (3 debulking and 6 subtotal resections). Outcome of SCG is similar to their counterparts in the brain. Low-grade tumors are highly treatable and have high 5-year OS whereas high-grade tumors portend poor prognosis with most cases resulting in death despite aggressive treatment.