DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i07.019

Pages: 2709-2711

Tumors of the central nervous system are the second most common childhood tumor after haematological malignancies [1]. These are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in children and constitute approximately 35% of all childhood malignancies [2]. The present study analyses the age, sex, location, and histological spectrum of primary pediatric brain tumors in a tertiary care hospital of western India. This is a retrospective study which included 120 primary paediatric brain tumors (<15 yrs of age) in two year duration at tertiary care centre of western India. All the cases of CNS tumors were studied by histopathological examination using H and E staining. Immunohistochemistry was done as and when required. Most of the patients were in the age group of 11-15 yrs. male to female ratio was 1.3:1. Most of the pediatric brain tumors were infratentorial in location. The most common primary pediatric brain tumors were astrocytic tumors (41.6%), followed by medulloblastoma and craniopharyngiomas. The most common astrocytic tumor was pilocytic astrocytoma. There is increase in the incidence of pediatric CNS tumors but a few studies on primary pediatric CNS tumors have been reported in india . The current study is from single largest institution in western India. As compared to western data, incidence of brain tumors in children was found to be less in the present study.