Pediatric glioblastoma: A common CNS tumor in an uncommon age

Background: Pediatric glioblastoma still has dismal prognosis despite the treatment has been continuously developed in the last three decades. Objective: To review the medical literatures regarding pediatric glioblastoma and demonstrate an illustrative case. Material and Method: The author reviewed medical literatures involving pediatric glioblastoma. Inclusion criteria are the literatures published from 1993 to the present with case numbers of 15 or more and proper statistical analysis. Results: Ten studies met the mentioned criteria. The overall survival of patients with pediatric glioblastoma ranges from 11 to 43 months. The prognostic factors that have statistically strongest correlation with prolong survival include gross total resection and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) Performance Status Score of 0 to 1 before radiation therapy. Other statistically significant favorable prognostic factors were superficial tumor location, radiation dose higher than 50 Gray, preoperative Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) Score >80 and Neurologic Function Score (NFS) of 0 to 1. Conclusion: Prognosis of pediatric glioblastoma remains poor with limited overall survival rate. Current recommendation of the treatment is attempt of gross total resection followed by radiation therapy and chemotherapy.