Initial symptoms and diagnostic delay in children with brain tumors at a single institution in Japan

Background A prolonged interval between onset of symptoms and diagnosis of childhood brain tumor is associated with worse neurological outcomes. The objectives of this study are to determine factors contributing to diagnostic delay and to find an interventional focus for further reduction in the interval between symptom onset and diagnosis in Japan. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 154 patients younger than 18 years with newly diagnosed brain tumors who visited our institution from January 2002 to March 2013. Results The median age at diagnosis was 6.2 years and the median total diagnostic interval (TDI) was 30 days. Patients with low-grade tumors and cerebral midline tumor location had significantly long TDI. Durations between the first medical consultation and diagnosis (diagnostic interval, DI) were exceedingly longer for patients with visual, hearing, or smelling abnormalities as the first symptom (median, 303 days). TDI and DI of patients who visited ophthalmologists or otolaryngologist for the first medical consultation were significantly longer. Among these patients, longer DI was associated with worse visual outcome. Conclusion Raising awareness of brain tumor diagnosis among ophthalmologists and otolaryngologists may reduce diagnostic delay and may improve the neurological impairment of children with brain tumors in Japan.