QOL-05. TUMOR LOCATION IS LESS LIKELY INFLUENCE ON COGNITIVE DYSFUNCTION IN CHILDREN

INTRODUCTION: Though several factors are known to influence on long-term cognitive function in children with brain tumor, the impact of tumor localization to specific cognitive function was not well known. Here we investigated the influence of local brain resection by surgery on postoperative cognitive outcome in school-aged children. METHODS: Participants were seven pediatric patients who underwent craniotomy for tumor resection in our hospital (mean age, 13.9 years). Their diagnosis were WHO grade 1 or 2 glioma (n=6) and hemangioma (n=1). Tumor were mainly located in following regions; frontal, n=2; parietal, n=2; temporal, n=3 (These lesions included hippocampus or were located very close to it). Temporal assessments for cognitive function of several functional domains were performed according to tumor location until post-op 1 year. Based on MRI, we estimated cognitive dysfunctions and compared them to observational symptoms. RESULTS: Preoperative cognitive function was normal in all patients. Cognitive dysfunctions estimated from resected area were as follows (cumulative total number); memory or working memory disorder, n=4; visuospatial cognitive disorder, n=3; disorder of processing speed, n=2; facial or topographical agnosia, n=2; Gerstman syndrome, n=1. Just after surgery, cognitive function was declined in two functional domains of two patients, which were only 16.7% of estimated deficit from resected region. They recovered completely until 3 months postoperatively, and returned to school without any deficits. CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric lower-grade tumor, focal cognitive symptom was unlikely to be induced by local resection.