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Despite being the second most frequent tumor in children, pediatric central nervous system (CNS) tumors are rare entities, with limited epidemiological data. The current study aimed to determine the survival rates of patients diagnosed with high grade gliomas in Brazil accounting for the influence of age, treatment modalities, public and private practices using a population-based national database.

Patients diagnosed with high grade glioma from 1999-2020 were identified from The Fundação Oncocentro de São Paulo database. Patients were described according to age, treatment modalities and medical practice. In a Cox proportional hazards model, controlled for confounding factors for overall survival (OS), the hazard ratio and 95% CI of overall survival was assessed.

A total of 570 patients were included in the analysis, with median age of seven years. Most patients (84,5%) were treated in public health system.  For all patients, the median survival was 14 months. Young patients had lower median overall survival (0 to 3 years: 13 months; 4 to 18 years: 22 months – p=0.005). There was no survival difference in patients treated in the public or private practice (p=0.146).  Regarding the treatment modalities, combined treatments were associated with higher median survival compared to less intensive treatment (surgery: 11 months; surgery and chemotherapy: 16 months; surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy: 20 months; p=0.005). 

Patients under three years old and deintensification of the treatment are associated with worse survival in Brazilian high grade glioma patients.