Abstract
PURPOSE: Delay in diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) tumors in children is well documented. The aims of this study were to characterize the symptomatology of CNS tumors and the time to diagnosis in a large pediatric hospital in Canada. METHODS: Retrospective chart review of children diagnosed with a CNS tumor between 2000 and 2016 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada was performed. Data collected included demographics, symptomatology, tumor type, age at diagnosis, known visits to healthcare professionals, neuroimaging, therapy and post treatment relapse or progression. RESULTS: 148 children with complete medical records were reviewed. The average age at diagnosis was 87.8 months (standard deviation (SD) = 59.7; median = 72). 50.7% of patients had posterior fossa tumors and 49.3% had supratentorial tumors. 30% of patients were diagnosed after a single visit to a health care provider. 7.7% of children needed more than 4 visits. Median total time to diagnosis (PSI) was 62 days (range = 0-2047 days). The longest prediagnostic interval was first symptom onset to first healthcare provider visit (PSI1, median 37 days). Patients with posterior fossa tumors, presence of metastases, and symptoms of ataxia and paresis were associated with shorter PSI. CONCLUSIONS: CNS tumors in children continue to pose a diagnostic challenge with significant variability in time to diagnosis. Our population-based study found that median time from symptoms to seeking medical advice by parents was over a month. It is essential to uncover the reasons for delay and address them where possible.