ID #744 Epidemiological profile of central nervous system tumors in patients followed at the neuro-oncology outpatient clinic of ITACI (1994-2025)
Beatrice Duarte, Lilian Cristofani, Juliana Barreto, Felipe Sanders, Vitor Yamaki, Mariana Komatsu, Bianca Faria, Priscilla Melchior, Vicente Odone Filho, José Col Lucio, Leandro Lucato, Yuri Casal, Alessandra AzambujaAbstract
Introduction
Central nervous system (CNS) tumors are a major cause of morbidity and mortality in children and adolescents, often leading to neurological sequelae and reduced quality of life. In Brazil, epidemiological data from specialized centers remain scarce, limiting public health planning. The Instituto de Tratamento do Câncer Infantil (ITACI) is a national reference center in pediatric oncology. This study aimed to describe the epidemiological profile of CNS tumors treated at ITACI.
Methods
This retrospective, descriptive study analyzed the institutional database of the ITACI neuro-oncology outpatient clinic. All patients with confirmed CNS tumors followed between 1994 and 2025 were included. Variables analyzed were histological diagnosis and diagnostic frequency. Data were evaluated using descriptive statistics and expressed as absolute and relative frequencies.
Results
A total of 468 patients were analyzed, with slight male predominance (52.78%; n = 247). There was a progressive increase in diagnoses over time, with higher frequencies in recent years, especially 2025 (13.68%) and 2023 (12.61%). The category “Others”, grouping rare tumors, represented the most frequent diagnosis (18.80%; n = 88), reflecting the heterogeneity of CNS neoplasms. Among specific tumors, medulloblastoma was most prevalent (17.52%; n = 82), followed by pilocytic astrocytoma (11.54%; n = 54), low-grade gliomas (7.69%; n = 36), ependymomas (6.62%; n = 31), and germ cell tumors (5.77%; n = 27). Other relevant diagnoses included optic pathway gliomas, craniopharyngiomas, diffuse brainstem gliomas, and high-grade gliomas.
Conclusion
The study demonstrated an epidemiological pattern consistent with the literature, with predominance of embryonal and glial tumors and slight male predominance. The high frequency of rare tumors highlights the importance of specialized centers for accurate diagnosis and management. These findings reinforce ITACI’s role as a national reference center and contribute to Brazilian epidemiological data, supporting healthcare planning and public policy development in pediatric neuro-oncology.