Abstract
Sixty-eight children with malignant brain tumors were treated with the "8 in 1" chemotherapy
protocol from 1986 to 1993 in Finland. The overall 5-year survival rate was 43 %.
Thirty-one children are still alive and tumor-free, and have been evaluated in the
present study. Of these 31 children, 26 % had hemi- or tetraplegia, 13 % intractable
seizures, and 30 % attend special schools. The mean full scale (FS) IQ was 85 (range
45-138), 24 % had an FSIQ value less than 70, and 36 % more than 90.
One-half of the survivors were placed in Bloom's group I or II, are able to lead an active life, and have only mild neurologic disabilities.
In the other, neurologic late complications accumulated and these children were relegated
to Bloom's group III or IV, with major disabilities such as hemiplegia, intractable epilepsy,
or mental retardation.
The most important prognostic factors were severe perioperative complications, young
age at diagnosis, and cranial irradiation.
Key words
Brain tumor - Children - "8 drugs in 1 day" - Late effects
