Cheng-Wei Chu, Yu-Feng Su, Ann-Shung Lieu, Chih-Lung Lin, Aij-Lie Kwan and Joon-Khim Loh
Background: The differences in clinical presentation and surgical outcome between children and adults with craniopharyngioma have not been well-described and there are few data available for Asian population. The aim of this study is to investigate the differences between paediatric and adult patients with craniopharyngioma at a single medical centre in southern Taiwan.
Methods: The clinical records of 40 patients with craniopharyngioma who were all surgically treated at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital from January 1990 to December 2012 were reviewed. The patients were divided into two groups based on age: children (= 20 years) and adults (>20 years). MRI and CT images were obtained pre- and post-operatively. Histopathological examination diagnosed tumors. Statistical analyses were performed to compare the differences in the two groups.
Results: Among the patients, 17 were children and 23 were adults. The children group demonstrated more diagnoses of large or giant tumors (p<0.001), a higher rate of tumors with both solid and cystic composition (p=0.027) as well as adamantinomatous type tumors (p=0.020). The children group also had a higher surgical complication rate of diabetes insipidus (p=0.023).
Conclusions: There are significant differences between children and adults with craniopharyngioma with regard to tumor size, histopathology type of tumor and hormone-related surgical complications. These findings are useful for improving the strategies for managing patients with craniopharyngioma.
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