[Clinical presentation of supratentorial and infratentorial intracranial tumors in pediatric patients].

BACKGROUND

Brain tumors are the second most common malignancy in childhood and they are also the most common solid tumors in children and the most frequent cause of morbidity and mortality associated with cancer in this age.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the clinical presentation of supratentorial and infratentorial intracranial tumors in pediatric patients.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

An observational, retrospective, cross-sectional comparative study in which records the clinical manifestations of 51 pediatric patients diagnosed with intracranial tumor, according with its location, supra- or infratentorial.

RESULTS

51 patients were analyzed. Tumor location was infratentorial in 32 patients (62.7%) and supratentorial in 19 (37.3%). Cerebellar syndrome occurred in 21 patients (65.6 %) with infratentorial tumor compared with six (31.5 %) with supratentorial tumor (p = 0.04; OR: 3.2; 95% CI: 1.1-12.8). Nystagmus was significantly more common in patients with infratentorial tumors (p = 0.029). Endocrine manifestations were present in four patients (21%) with supratentorial tumor and none of the infratentorial group (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

Cerebellar syndrome was statistically significantly more common in patients with infratentorial when compared with patients with supratentorial. Nystagmus is one of the most common visual impairments in patients with infratentorial tumor. Endocrine disorders are significantly more frequent in patients with supratentorial tumor. The interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis of intracranial tumor is significantly longer in children with supratentorial tumor because the symptoms are more insidious in onset and are mistaken for other benign conditions.