Thalamic gliomas: a clinicopathologic analysis of 20 cases with reference to patient age

Association between the Anatomical Location of Glioblastoma and Its Evaluation with Clinical Considerations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Background: Glioblastoma is a primary malignant brain tumor; it is aggressive with a high degree of malignancy and unfavorable prognosis and is the most common type of malignant brain tumor. Glioblastomas can be located in the brain, cerebellum, brainstem, and spinal cord, originating from glial cells, particularly astrocytes. Methods: The databases MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and CINAHL were researched up to January 2024. Two authors independently performed the search, study selection, and data extraction. Methodological quality was evaluated with an assurance tool for anatomical studies (AQUA). The statistical mean, standard deviation, and difference of means calculated with the Student's t-test for presence between hemispheres and presence in the frontal and temporal lobes were analyzed. Results: A total of 123 studies met the established selection criteria, with a total of 6224 patients. In relation to the mean, GBM between hemispheres had a mean of 33.36 (SD 58.00) in the right hemisphere and a mean of 34.70 (SD 65.07) in the left hemisphere, due to the difference in averages between hemispheres. There were no statistically significant differences, p = 0.35. For the comparison between the presence of GBM in the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe, there was a mean in the frontal lobe of 23.23 (SD 40.03), while in the temporal lobe, the mean was 22.05 (SD 43.50), and for the difference in means between the frontal lobe and the temporal lobe, there was no statistically significant difference for the presence of GBM, p = 0.178. Conclusions: We believe that before a treatment, it will always be correct to know where the GBM is located and how it behaves clinically, in order to generate correct conservative or surgical treatment guidelines for each patient. We believe that more detailed studies are also needed to show why GBM is associated more with some regions than others, despite the brain structure being homologous to other regions in which GMB occurs less frequently, which is why knowing its predominant presence in brain regions is very important.

Surgical Treatment of Paediatric Thalamic Gliomas-Single-Centre Experience

The surgical treatment of paediatric thalamic gliomas has been burdened with high morbidity, and these lesions were often considered inoperable. With new approaches and intraoperative technologies, we can remove tumours once deemed inoperable. In our single centre, we have operated on 11 paediatric patients over the course of 8 years. We have performed eight GTR resections and three intended subtotal resections. The postoperative neurological deficit ranged from mild to very severe for motor weakness and none to severe for aphasia after surgery, with all of the patients improving at 3-month follow-up. Radicality in the surgical approach to thalamic gliomas in children has shown significant benefits when compared to more conservative approaches. For children with LGGs, extensive surgical resection is associated with improved prognosis and longer progression-free survival. However, it does not yield the same proportional benefit for HGGs due to its aggressive nature and worse outlook.

Pediatric diencephalic tumors: a constellation of entities and management modalities

The diencephalon is a complex midline structure consisting of the hypothalamus, neurohypophysis, subthalamus, thalamus, epithalamus, and pineal body. Tumors arising from each of these diencephalic components differ significantly in terms of biology and prognosis. The aim of this comprehensive review is to describe the epidemiology, clinical symptoms, imaging, histology, and molecular markers in the context of the 2021 WHO classification of central nervous system neoplasms. We will also discuss the current management of each of these tumors.

Brain Gliomas and Ollier Disease: Molecular Findings as Predictive Risk Factors?

Background: Ollier disease (OD) is a rare nonhereditary type of dyschondroplasia characterized by multiple enchondromas, with typical onset in the first decade of life. Surgery is the only curative treatment for primary disease and its complications. Patients with OD are at risk of malignant transformation of enchondromas and of occurrence of other neoplasms. Methods: A wide literature review disclosed thirty cases of glioma associated with OD, most of them belonging to the pre-molecular era. Our own case was also included. Demographic, clinical, pathologic, molecular, management, and outcome data were analyzed and compared to those of sporadic gliomas. Results: Gliomas associated with OD more frequently occur at younger age, present higher rates of multicentric lesions (49%), brainstem localizations (29%), and significantly lower rates of glioblastomas (7%) histotype. The IDH1 R132H mutation was detected in 80% of gliomas of OD patients and simultaneously in enchondromas and gliomas in 100% of cases. Conclusions: The molecular data suggest a higher risk of occurrence of glioma in patients with enchondromas harboring the IDH1 R132H mutation than those with the IDH1 R132C mutation. Thus, we suggest considering the IDH1 R132H mutation in enchondromas of patients with OD as a predictive risk factor of occurrence of glioma.

Evolution of surgical attitudes to paediatric thalamic tumours: the alder hey experience

PURPOSE

Attitudes to surgery for paediatric thalamic tumours have evolved due to improved preoperative imaging modalities and the advent of intraoperative MRI (iMRI) as well as enhanced understanding of tumour biology. We review the developments in our local practice over the last three decades with particular attention to the impact of iMRI.

METHODS

We identified all paediatric patients from a prospectively maintained neuro-oncology database who received surgery for a thalamic tumour (n = 30). All children were treated in a single UK tertiary paediatric neurosurgery centre between January 1991 and June 2020. Twenty patients underwent surgical resection, the remainder (10) undergoing biopsy only. Pre-operative surgical intent (biopsy versus debulking, near-total resection, or complete resection) as well as the use of iMRI were prospectively recorded. Complications recorded in clinical documentation between postoperative days 0 and 30 were retrospectively graded using a modified version of the Clavien Dindo scale. The extent of resection with respect to the pre-determined surgical aim was also recorded. Data on patient survival and disease progression status were obtained retrospectively.

RESULTS

In our series, there were 42 procedures (25 craniotomies, 17 biopsies) performed on 30 patients (17 male, with a median age of 8 at surgery). Of the 25 surgical resections performed, complete resection was achieved in 9 (36%), near-total resection in 10 (40%), and limited debulking in 6 (24%). The predetermined surgical aim was achieved or exceeded in 91.3% of cases. The proportion of craniotomies for which substantial resection was achieved, increased from 37.5 to 94.2% with use of iMRI (p = 0.014). Surgical morbidity was not associated with greater extent of surgical resection. High-grade histology is identified as the only independent significant factor influencing overall survival as calculated by Cox proportional hazards model (p = 0.006).

CONCLUSION

We note a significant change in the rate and extent of attempted resection of paediatric thalamic tumours that has developed over the last 3 decades. Use of iMRI is associated with a significant increase in substantial tumour resection surgeries. This is not associated with any significant level of surgical morbidity. Improvements in pre- and intra-operative imaging alongside better understanding of tumour biology facilitate patient selection and a surgically more aggressive approach in selected cases whilst maintaining safety and avoiding operative morbidity.

H3K27M and TERT promoter mutations are poor prognostic factors in surgical cases of adult thalamic high-grade glioma

Background

Thalamic high-grade gliomas (HGGs) are rare tumors with a dismal prognosis. H3K27M and telomerase reverse transcriptase promoter (TERTp) mutations reportedly contribute to poor prognoses in HGG cases. We investigated the outcomes of surgically treated adult thalamic HGGs to evaluate the prognostic significance of H3K27M and TERTp mutations.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 25 adult patients with thalamic HGG who underwent maximum surgical resection from January 1997 to March 2020. The histological and molecular characteristics, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS) of the patients were compared. For molecular characteristics, target sequencing was used to determine the H3F3A, HIST1H3B, and TERTp mutations.

Results

H3K27M mutations were detected in 12/25 (48.0%) patients. TERTp mutations were not detected in H3K27M-mutant gliomas but were detected in 8/13 (61.5%) of H3 wild-type gliomas. Although it was not significant, H3K27M-mutant gliomas tended to have a shorter PFS (6.7 vs 13.1 months; P = .2928) and OS (22.8 vs 24.4 months; P = .2875) than H3 wild-type gliomas. Moreover, the prognosis of TERTp-mutant gliomas was as poor as that of H3K27M-mutant gliomas. Contrary, 5 gliomas harboring both H3 and TERTp wild-type showed a better median PFS (59.2 vs 6.4 months; P = .0456) and OS (71.8 vs 24.4 months; P = .1168) than those harboring H3K27M or TERTp mutations.

Conclusions

TERTp-mutant gliomas included in the H3 wild-type glioma group limited patient survival as they exhibited an aggressive course similar to H3K27M-mutant gliomas. Comprehensive molecular work-up for the H3 wild-type cases may further confirm this finding.

Long term follow-up and outcomes in adult patients with thalamic gliomas

OBJECTIVES

To investigate the optimal treatment and prognosis of thalamic glioma in adult patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the adult patients with thalamic glioma admitted to our hospital from May 2005 to September 2016. Patients were divided into two groups according to their treatment: surgery-based combined treatment and intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT)-based treatment. Univariate chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression were used to identify independent factors for the treatment modality. A log-rank test, adjusting for propensity score, was used to compare the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients between the two groups.

RESULTS

Fifty-eight adult patients with thalamic gliomas were included in the analysis. Of them, 31 were treated with surgery-based treatment, and 27 were treated with IMRT-based treatment. The overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of patients between the two groups were not significantly different (median OS 16.0 (range 1.0-163.0) months vs. 10.0 (range 1.0-118.0) months, p = 0.344 and median PFS 10.0 (range 1.0-163.0) months vs. 6.0 (range 1.0-118.0) months, p = 0.464, respectively) even after adjusting for potential confounding factors.

CONCLUSIONS

The OS and PFS of adult patients with thalamic glioma were not significantly different between patients in the surgical group and in the IMRT group. IMRT might be an acceptable alternative to surgery for adult patients with unresectable thalamic glioma.

Lateral or Medial Surgical Approaches for Thalamic Gliomas Resection?

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the selection, safety, and prognosis of medial (transcorpus callosal) and lateral (translateral brain gyrus) approaches for adult thalamic glioma resection.

METHODS

The medical records of adult patients with thalamic glioma between March 2006 and March 2016 in Huashan Hospital were reviewed. The probabilistic map of the gliomas was shown in Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space, and a paralleling midline was delineated to decide the approach. The extent of resection, complications, adjuvant treatment, and survival data were analyzed. A literature review was also conducted.

RESULTS

Fifty-three patients with thalamic glioma were enrolled. Eighteen patients received tumor resection by a medial approach and 35 by a lateral approach. The probabilistic map based on 20 patients showed that 9 gliomas with ≥45% located in the medial side were treated medially and the other 11 gliomas were treated laterally. Both approaches achieved adequate extent of resection with similar morbidity. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed no significant difference of overall survival by a transcorpus callosal or translateral brain gyrus approach. Total resection (TR) or subtotal resection (STR) (P = 0.0003), radiochemotherapy (P < 0.0001), and low-grade glioma (P = 0.031) were correlated with better OS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that TR/STR (P = 0.007; 95% confidence interval, 1.345-6.287) and radiochemotherapy (P < 0.0001; 95% confidence interval, 4.740-71.569) were independent prognostic factors for adult thalamic gliomas.

CONCLUSIONS

Both medial and lateral approaches are feasible and adequate for resection of thalamic gliomas. The paramidline paralleling midline crossing the genu of the internal capsule could help make the choice. TR/STR, radiochemotherapy, and low-grade glioma could benefit the prognosis.

Thalamic Glioblastoma: Clinical Presentation, Management Strategies, and Outcomes

BACKGROUND

Thalamic glioblastomas (GBMs) represent a significant neurosurgical challenge. In view of the low incidence of these tumors, outcome data and management strategies are not well defined.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the natural history and factors associated with survival in patients with thalamic glioblastoma.

METHODS

A retrospective review of all patients with thalamic glioblastoma over a 10-yr period was performed. Presenting clinical, radiological, and outcome data were collected. Chi-squared and Fisher's exact tests were used to compare clinical characteristics across tumor groups. Cox proportional hazard models were utilized to investigate variables of interest with regard to overall survival.

RESULTS

Fifty-seven patients met inclusion criteria, with a median age of 53 and median Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) score of 80. The most common presenting symptoms were weakness, confusion, and headache. Hydrocephalus was present in 47% of patients preoperatively. Stereotactic biopsy was performed in 47 cases, and 10 patients underwent craniotomy. The median overall survival was 12.2 mo. Higher KPS, younger age, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) diversion were correlated with better overall survival univariately, respectively, while the presence of language deficits at initial presentation was associated with poorer survival. In multivariate analysis, the only significant predictor of survival was presenting KPS.

CONCLUSION

The overall survival of patients with thalamic glioblastoma is comparable to unresectable lobar supratentorial GBMs. Younger patients and those with good presenting functional status had improved survival. Midbrain involvement by the tumor is not a negative prognostic factor. Improved therapies are needed, and patients should be considered for early trial involvement and aggressive upfront therapy.

Skull Base Enchondroma and Chondrosarcoma in Ollier Disease and Maffucci Syndrome

BACKGROUND

Maffucci syndrome (MS) and Ollier disease (OD) are rare diseases characterized by multiple benign enchondromas. The incidence of skull base (SB) enchondromas and the risk of malignant transformation remain unknown. Most SB lesions are asymptomatic, and surgical resection carries significant morbidity. Observation may be a reasonable strategy. We report our experience with observation of probable SB enchondromas in MS/OD patients.

METHODS

Retrospective review of OD/MS patients with cranial imaging between 1995 and 2018 at 1 institution.

RESULTS

14 patients were included: 3 with MS (21.4%) and 11 with OD (78.6%). The median age was 28 years (range, 11-74 years) and 57.1% were female. Extracranial chondrosarcoma was reported in 3 (21.4%) patients. Seven (50%) patients with SB enchondroma or chondrosarcoma were identified on initial imaging. In patients with SB lesions, the indications for imaging were headache (n=3), seizure (n=1), and diplopia (n=1); 2 cases were incidental findings. The most commonly involved structures were petroclival fissure (86%) and clivus (71%). Treatment included observation (6/7) and resection (1/7). Follow-up imaging was available for all SB lesions, with a mean interval of 50.7 months (range, 5-225 months) and was negative for progression in all patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary SB lesions in OD/MS patients frequently present in the petroclival junction. Cranial screening and close observation should be considered in MS/OD patients, given the increased risk of intra-axial intracranial tumors, de novo chondrosarcomas, or malignant degeneration of previously known lesions. In asymptomatic patients, observation appears to be a safe strategy in this cohort. Further case accumulation and follow-up are required to better understand the long-term outcomes.

High frequency of H3K27M immunopositivity in adult thalamic glioblastoma

Adult thalamic glioblastomas (GBM) are uncommon tumors with limited available molecular data. One of the reported molecular alterations in these tumors is the H3K27M mutation. It has been documented that H3K27M mutation is found in a high proportion of pediatric thalamic gliomas. In this study, we have analyzed the molecular alterations exclusive to adult thalamic GBM. This is a 6 years retrospective study of adult thalamic GBM patients who underwent surgical decompression of the tumor. Clinical data were obtained from the case records. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was performed on the tumors using antibodies directed against the gene products of R132H mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1), alpha-thalassemia/mental retardation X-linked (ATRX), p53, H3K27M, H3K27me3, and V600E mutant BRAF. Molecular analyses were carried out to detect other IDH1 and IDH2 mutations, O⁶ -methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase gene (MGMT) promoter methylation, and epidermal growth factor gene (EGFR) and telomerase reverse transcriptase gene (TERT) promoter mutations. A total of 42 cases of adult thalamic GBM were studied. The mean age of presentation was 42 years with age range of 19-58 years. Male predominance was noted. All the tumors were IDH wild-type, BRAF (V600E)-immunonegative and unmethylated for MGMT promoter. H3K27M immunopositivity was noted in 60% of tumors. Of these 33.3% were from older adults above the age of 50 years. Of the H3K27M-immunopositive cases, ATRX loss of expression was seen in 32%, p53 immunopositivity in 24% and EGFR amplification in 12%. Higher frequency of TERT promoter mutations was noted in H3K27M-immunonegative cases (58.8%) compared to immunopositive cases (20%). Ours is one of the few studies elucidating the molecular alterations exclusive to adult thalamic GBM. We show a high frequency of H3K27M immunopositivity, suggestive of its mutational status in these tumors, including in older adults.

Surgical treatment of thalamic tumors in children

OBJECTIVE In the past, the outcome of surgical treatment for thalamic tumor was poor. These lesions were often considered inoperable. However, contemporary microsurgical techniques, together with improvements in neuroimaging that enable accurate presurgical planning, allow resection to be accomplished in a safer way. METHODS The medical records, imaging studies, and operative and pathology reports obtained for pediatric patients who were treated for thalamic tumors at the authors' department were reviewed. Neuronavigation and intraoperative monitoring of motor and somatosensory evoked potentials were used. Preoperative tractography, which helped to identify internal capsule fibers, was very important in selecting the surgical strategy. Postoperatively, an MRI study performed within 24 hours was used to assess the extent of tumor resection as partial (≤ 90%), subtotal (> 90%), or gross total (no residual tumor). RESULTS Since 2002, 27 children with thalamic tumors have been treated at the authors' department. There were 9 patients with unilateral thalamic tumors, 16 with thalamopeduncular tumors, and 2 with a bilateral tumor. These last 2 patients underwent endoscopic biopsy and implantation of a ventriculoperitoneal shunt. Thirty-nine tumor debulking procedures were performed in the remaining 25 patients. Different surgical approaches were chosen according to tumor location and displacement of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (as studied on axial T2-weighted MRI) and corticospinal tract (as studied on diffusion tensor imaging with tractography, after it became available). In 12 cases, multiple procedures were performed; in 7 cases, these were done as part of a planned multistage resection. In the remaining 5 cases, the second procedure was necessary because of late recurrence or regrowth of residual tumor. At the end of the surgical phase, of 25 patients, 15 (60%) achieved a gross-total resection, 4 (16%) achieved a subtotal resection, and 6 (24%) achieved a partial resection. Eighteen patients harbored low-grade tumors in our series. In this group, the mean follow-up was 45 months (range 4-132 months). At the end of follow-up, 1 patient was dead, 12 patients were alive with no evidence of disease, 4 patients were alive with stable disease, and 1 was lost to follow-up. All patients were independent in their daily lives. The outcome of high-grade tumors in 9 patients was very poor: 2 patients died immediately after surgery, 6 died of progressive disease, and 1 was alive with residual disease at the time of this report. CONCLUSIONS This institutional review seems to offer further evidence in favor of attempts at radical resection in pediatric patients harboring unilateral thalamic or thalamopeduncular tumors. In low-grade gliomas, radical resection in a single or staged procedure can be curative without complementary treatment. Recurrences or residual regrowth can be safely managed surgically. In high-grade tumors, the role of and opportunity for radical or partial resection remains a matter of debate.

High-grade thalamic gliomas: Microsurgical treatment and prognosis analysis

This retrospective study is aimed to investigate the efficacy of microsurgical treatment for high-grade thalamic gliomas, and to analyze the relevant prognosis. From May 2011 to Aug 2015, 49 patients with thalamic gliomas underwent microsurgical resection, and received chemotherapy and radiotherapy postoperatively. The postoperative symptoms and complications were documented, and the overall survival (OS) and the progression-free survival (PFS) data were collected. The prognostic factors were evaluated by univariate and multivariate analyses. Finally, there was no perioperative death. Twenty cases, 24 cases and 5 cases were achieved subtotal resection (>90%), partial resection (70-90%) and less than partial resection (<70%) respectively. All patients' pathological diagnosis was confirmed. The symptoms were improved in 32 cases, unchanged in 11 cases, and worsen in 6 cases. Postoperative complications were absent in 9 cases. The 6-month, 12-month, and 24-month OS were 71.4%, 38.9%, and 12.1% respectively; corresponding PFS were 66.6%, 27.1%, and 10.2% respectively. The median OS time and PFS time were 9.0 months (95% CI 6.9-11.1) and 9.0 months (95% CI 6.6-11.4) respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed extent of resection were independent prognostic factors for OS (p < .05), patients with postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy had a significant prolonged OS (p < .001) and PFS (p < .001). The study shows that the short-term efficacy of microsurgery for high-grade thalamic gliomas is satisfactory. Microsurgery can effectively alleviate patients' symptoms and improve life quality. Postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy are helpful for prolonging the survival time.

Pediatric Thalamic Gliomas: An Updated Review

CONTEXT

- Neoplasms originating in the thalamus are rare overall (1% of all brain tumors); however, they comprise approximately 5% of pediatric intracranial tumors and approach 15% of all malignant pediatric intracranial tumors in some series.

OBJECTIVE

- To update readers about the current understanding of the diverse histology, biology, and behavior of pediatric thalamic tumors. Histologic verification is now thought to be critical for planning treatment, and, as a result, biopsy and total/subtotal resections are much more common today than in the past.

DATA SOURCES

- A PubMed search using the keywords "pediatric + thalamic + glioma" yielded 45 publications with a total of 445 cases of thalamic gliomas in patients less than 18 years of age. We found only 9 substantial institutional series tabulating all encountered thalamic histologic types in children. This survey confirmed a high proportion of astrocytomas, 81% (214 of 265), of which approximately two-thirds were diffuse astrocytomas (146 of 214) and one-third were pilocytic astrocytomas (68 of 214). Of the diffuse astrocytomas, 34% (49 of 146) were low grade (World Health Organization grade II) and 55% (81 of 146) were high grade (World Health Organization grade III or IV), making the latter subgroup the largest single category of all pediatric thalamic tumors. Oligodendrogliomas and ependymomas (mostly anaplastic in both cases) comprised 10% and 3% of all pediatric thalamic tumors, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

- Tissue diagnosis is now thought crucial for prognostication and treatment, particularly as more potentially therapeutic molecular targets are discovered. Secure diagnosis allows identification of tumors for which resection is more feasible and beneficial.

Subtotal Resection of a Thalamic Glioblastoma Multiforme through Transsylvian Approach

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a malignant brain tumor with an ominous prognosis. The standard treatment includes maximal safe resection plus adjuvant therapy. Thalamic GBMs, however, are unfavorable for microsurgical removal because of deep location and proximity to critical structures. We present a patient presenting with progressive hemiparesis and decreased consciousness with a large thalamic GBM who underwent subtotal resection through a transsylvian approach. His clinical and neurologic condition improved after surgery and he survived nine months after surgery. This may propose that in selected cases, more aggressive microsurgery for debulking of tumors might have some impact in the final outcome.​​​

Identification and targeting of an FGFR fusion in a pediatric thalamic "central oligodendroglioma"

Approximately 1–5% of pediatric intracranial tumors originate in the thalamus. While great strides have been made to identify consistent molecular markers in adult oligodendrogliomas, such as the 1p/19q co-deletion, it is widely recognized that pediatric oligodendrogliomas have a vastly different molecular make-up. While pediatric thalamic or “central oligodendrogliomas” are histologically similar to peripheral pediatric oligodendrogliomas, they are behaviorally distinct and likely represent a cohesive, but entirely different entity. We describe a case of a 10-year-old girl who was diagnosed with an anaplastic glioma with features consistent with the aggressive entity often diagnosed as central or thalamic oligodendroglioma. We performed whole-exome (paired tumor and germline DNA) and transcriptome (tumor RNA) sequencing, which demonstrated an FGFR3-PHGDH fusion. We describe this fusion and our rationale for pursuing personalized, targeted therapy for the patient’s tumor that may potentially play a role in the treatment of similar cases.

Distant recurrences limit the survival of patients with thalamic high-grade gliomas after successful resection

The indications of surgery for thalamic high-grade gliomas are not well established. The present study investigated the outcome of 21 patients treated by surgery and reports the high incidence of distant recurrences including disseminations after successful removal. Twenty-one patients with thalamic high-grade gliomas not invading the pyramidal tract or midbrain underwent cytoreductive surgery at our institute from June 1997 to August 2015. Surgery was performed with the aid of a neuronavigation system, electrophysiological monitoring, and fluorescence navigation. Tumor histology included 12 cases of the World Health Organization grade III and nine cases of grade IV. Gross total resection was achieved in six cases, subtotal in 13, and partial in two. Motor weakness accompanied by sensory disturbance deteriorated immediately after surgery in 13 patients. However, five patients were determined to show deterioration at 2 months after surgery. Postoperative radiation and chemotherapy were given to every patient, and median progression-free survival of patients with grade III and IV tumors was 12.1 and 7.0 months, respectively. Median overall survival of patients with grade III and IV tumors was 25.6 and 12.6 months, respectively. High incidence of distant recurrences was found, with distant lesions at recurrence in 13 of 19 patients with recurrence, suggesting the life-restricting factor in these patients. Thalamic high-grade glioma without invasion into the pyramidal tract and brainstem can be considered as a candidate for surgical resection. Distant lesion limits the survival of patients after successful resection.

Management of primary thalamic low-grade glioma in pediatric patients: results of the multicenter treatment studies HIT-LGG 1996 and SIOP-LGG 2004

Background

Thalamic low-grade glioma (LGG) poses a special therapeutic challenge, as complete resection is often not possible. To determine the survival outcomes of mono- and bithalamic LGG, we analyzed a large cohort of pediatric patients.

Methods

From 1996 until 2012, 2618 patients were registered in the HIT-LGG 1996 and the SIOP-LGG 2004 studies. A total of 102 of these 2618 patients (3.9%) were diagnosed with a thalamic LGG with a median age at diagnosis of 8.0 years (range, 0.4-17.5 years); 87 patients (85%) had monothalamic and 15 patients (15%) had bithalamic LGG.

Results

Ninety patients received at least one surgical procedure. Thirty-one patients received radiotherapy and 24 patients received chemotherapy as a first-line, nonsurgical treatment indicated by radiological tumor progression or severe/progressive clinical symptoms. Patients with monothalamic tumors showed a 10-year overall survival (OS) rate of 91%, whereas patients with bithalamic tumors only reached 65% (P = .001). Bithalamic tumors more frequently showed diffuse histology than monothalamic tumors. Patients with diffuse astrocytoma had a lower 10-year OS (68%) than those with pilocytic astrocytoma (93%). The 10-year progression-free survival rate after the start of first nonsurgical treatment was 53% in the radiotherapy group and 34% in the chemotherapy group.

Conclusions

Thalamic glioma was manageable using a strategy that included surgery, observation, chemotherapy, and/or radiotherapy. Radiotherapy could be successfully deferred or obviated in a number of patients. Survival was high in among patients with monothalamic tumors. The worse prognosis associated with bithalamic tumors correlates with the higher rate of diffuse histology in this subgroup, precluding total or near-total resection.

Clinical, radiological, and pathological features of 33 adult unilateral thalamic gliomas

Background

Unilateral adult thalamic gliomas are rarely reported. In this study, the authors aimed to analyze the clinical, radiological, and pathological features of adult primary unilateral thalamus gliomas (UTGs).

Methods

Clinical data of 33 UTGs in adults who underwent surgical treatment between 2005 and 2014 at the Beijing Tiantan Hospital were collected and retrospectively studied. Follow-up evaluation was performed.

Results

This study included 21 males and 12 females with a mean age of 43.1 years. The most common symptoms were headache (75.8 %, 25/33 patients) and motor deficits (42.4 %, 14/33 patients). Radiological results showed that enhancement was common (90.9 %, 30/33 patients) and included cystic appearances in 9 cases (27.3 %). All patients underwent maximal safe tumor resection. Gross total resection (GTR) was achieved in 19 cases, subtotal resection (≥80 %) in 9 cases, and partial resection (<80 %) in 5 cases. Molecular pathology results were available in 15 cases. After surgery, 25 patients received postoperative adjuvant therapy based on the remaining pathology. The median follow-up period of all 33 patients with UTGs was 17 months (1 week~49 months). Twenty-four patients experienced tumor recurrence. The 1-year and 2-year progression-free survival (PFS) rates were 49.0 and 10.2 %, respectively. The 1-year and 2-year overall survival (OS) rates were 68.1 and 25.9 %, respectively. Survival analyses revealed that several predictive factors were correlated with better prognosis, among which, GTR and tumor with cystic appearances were significantly associated with a longer survival.

Conclusions

Adult UTGs displayed a wide spectrum of clinical features. GTR can be achieved in adult UTGs with acceptable complications and conferred a better prognosis. Tumor with cystic appearance may indicate better prognosis. More patients and longer follow-up periods are needed to further elucidate the biological features of adult UTGs.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12957-016-0820-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

The role of probabilistic tractography in the surgical treatment of thalamic gliomas

BACKGROUND

Thalamic gliomas represent a great challenge for neurosurgeons because of the high surgical risk of damaging the surrounding anatomy. Preoperative planning may considerably help the surgeon find the most ideal operative trajectory, avoiding thalamic nuclei and important white matter pathways adjacent to the tumor tissue. Thalamic segmentation is a promising imaging tool based on diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging. It provides the possibility to predict the relationship of the tumor to thalamic nuclei.

OBJECTIVE

To propose a new tool in thalamic glioma surgery that may help to differentiate between normal thalamus and tumor tissue, making preoperative planning possible and facilitating the choice of the optimal surgical approach and trajectory for neuronavigation-assisted surgery.

METHODS

Four patients with thalamic gliomas preoperatively underwent conventional and diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging conducted on 1.5 T. Subsequently, probabilistic tractography and thalamic segmentation were performed with the FSL Software as preoperative planning. We also present a case when thalamic segmentation was applied retrospectively using preoperative images. All patients went through neuronavigation-assisted surgery (1 partial, 4 subtotal resections).

RESULTS

Surgery performed based on the output of thalamic segmentation caused no deterioration in the neurological symptoms of our patients. Indeed, we noticed improvement in the neurological condition in 3 cases; furthermore, in 2 patients, a concern-free state was achieved.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that thalamic segmentation may be applied successfully and routinely in the surgical treatment of thalamic gliomas.

Thalamic tumors in children

INTRODUCTION

Thalamic tumors are rare tumors which are usually diagnosed in the pediatric age group. Although recent developments in neurosurgical practice allow more radical treatments, information about outcome is scarce for these deep-seated challenging tumors.

METHODS

Medical records of 45 pediatric patients who presented with thalamic tumors between 1999 and 2012 were reviewed.

DISCUSSION

Prognostic implication of tumor characteristics and patient variables are discussed. Although challenging, recent innovations in the field of neurosurgery and refinements in technique may prolong survival in some cases.

Surgical management of thalamic gliomas: case selection, technical considerations, and review of literature

This study aimed to identify (1) the thalamic gliomas suitable for surgical resection and (2) the appropriate surgical approach based on their location and the displacement of the posterior limb of the internal capsule (PLIC). A retrospective study over a 5-year period (from 2006 to 2010) was performed in 41 patients with thalamic gliomas. The mean age of these patients was 20.4 years (range, 2-65 years). Twenty (49 %) tumors were thalamic, 19 (46 %) were thalamopeduncular, and 2 (5 %) were bilateral. The PLIC, based on T2-weighted magnetic resonance axial sections, was displaced anterolaterally in 23 (56 %) cases and laterally in 6 (14 %) cases. It was involved by lesion in eight (20 %) cases and could not be identified in four (10 %) cases. Resection, favored in patients with well-defined, contrast-enhancing lesions, was performed in 34 (83 %) cases, while a biopsy was resorted to in 7 (17 %) cases. A gross total resection or near total resection (>90 %) could be achieved in 26 (63 %) cases. The middle temporal gyrus approach, used when the PLIC was displaced anterolaterally, was the commonly used approach (63.5 %). Common pathologies were pilocytic astrocytoma (58 %) in children and grade III/IV astrocytomas (86 %) in adults. Preoperative motor deficits improved in 64 % of the patients with pilocytic lesions as compared to 0 % in patients with grade III/IV lesions (P value, 0.001). Postoperatively, two patients (5 %) had marginal worsening of motor power, two patients developed visual field defects, and one patient developed a third nerve paresis. Radical resection of thalamic gliomas is a useful treatment modality in a select subset of patients and is the treatment of choice for pilocytic astrocytomas. Tailoring the surgical approach, depending on the relative position of the PLIC, has an important bearing on outcome.

Pediatric thalamic glioblastoma associated with Ollier disease (multiple enchondromatosis): a rare case of concurrence

Ollier disease and Maffucci syndrome are rare syndromes in which there is deforming dysplasia of cartilage, primarily but not exclusively involving the metaphyses and diaphyses of long bones. In a minority of patients, dysplasia can lead to sarcomatous degeneration, producing chondrosarcomas. There also appears to be an association with other neoplasms. Little has been written about the association between Ollier disease and intracranial tumors, and these papers have largely consisted of case reports in adults. The authors present the case of a 6-year-old girl with left arm osseous changes consistent with Ollier disease and a biopsy-proven thalamic glioblastoma multiforme. They then examine the co-occurrence of brain tumors in conjunction with a dyschondroplasia syndrome in children and adolescents to assess the presentation, treatment offered, and disease course of similar cases. Eight other such cases were identified, 6 in patients with Ollier disease (ranging in age from 7 to 18 years), and 2 with Maffucci syndrome (both in late adolescence). Including our own patient, 7 of the 9 cases of comorbid dyschondroplasia and intracranial malignancy occurred in girls. Some patients presented soon after the acute onset of symptoms, and others had a more subtle, protracted course over as many as 2 years. Some tumors were deemed resectable and others not. In only 1 instance was follow-up beyond 1 year reported.

The association between intracranial tumours and multiple dyschondroplasia (Ollier's disease or Maffucci's syndrome): do children and adults differ?

In Ollier's disease (OD) and Maffucci's syndrome (MS), there is deforming dysplasia of cartilage, primarily but not exclusively involving the metaphyses and diaphyses of long bones. In a minority of patients with either of these rare syndromes, dysplasia can lead to sarcomatous degeneration, producing chondrosarcomas. There also appears to be an association with other neoplasms, which can include intracranial tumours. The primary objective of the current paper was to compare children/adolescents who have either OD or MS and an intracranial malignancy with their adult counterparts. All relevant cases in the medical literature were identified by electronically searching PubMed, SciSearch, Scientific Commons, Springer Link, and Google. Translate DotNet and Babelfish were used to translate non-English text. Non-parametric Pearson chi-square analyses were used to compare youths versus adults with respect to gender and geographic distribution (by continent), tumour histology and site of lesion, and the underlying enchondromatosis syndrome (OD vs. MS). All tests were 2-tailed, and P < 0.05 represented a statistically-significant difference. Forty-six patients with 47 intra-cranial malignancies were identified, with nine of the patients being 18 years old or less and categorized as youths. The incidence of intracranial chondrosarcomas peaked in the fourth decade of life, in parallel with the peak number of MS cases; conversely, both non-sarcomas and OD peaked in the third decade of life. Six of nine youths (67%) versus 17 of 36 adults with gender data (47%) were female (P = 0.30). There was no difference in geographic distribution by continent (P = 0.82). Four youths (44%) versus 16 adults (43%) had a chondrosarcoma (P = 0.95), and there was no statistically significant difference by tumour site (P = 0.42). However, seven (77%) of the youths had Ollier's disease as their underlying enchondromatosis syndrome, versus just 17 (46%) of the adults, a difference that approached statistical significance (P = 0.086). The association between enchondromatosis and intracranial malignancy seems to be roughly the same in youths versus adults, though Ollier's disease cases appear to predominate among youths.

Ollier disease

BACKGROUND

Ollier disease is a rare, nonfamilial disorder characterized by multiple enchondromatosis with an asymmetric distribution and areas of dysplastic cartilage. Clinical manifestations usually start with local pain, bone swelling, and palpable bony masses, often associated with bone deformity. Intracranial enchondromas arise from the skull base because of its cartilage embryological derivation. Headache and cranial nerve palsy are the most prominent clinical findings. The only effective treatment is represented by surgery that allows to resect the tumors and to treat their complications, such as pathological fractures, growth defect, and neurological symptoms.

METHOD

We report on a 12-year-old boy affected with Ollier disease and operated on for a skull base enchondroma. The tumor was partially removed through a right pterional approach to the cavernous sinus. Serial postoperative magnetic resonance imaging showed an increasing residual tumor and the patient underwent radiation therapy.

CONCLUSION

Surgery remains the main therapy for intracranial enchondromas. Radiotherapy is required in case of sarcomatous evolution or when a gross total tumor resection is not feasible, as in the present case.

Overall survival in patients with malignant glioma may be significantly longer with tumors located in deep grey matter

BACKGROUND

The aim of this study was to assess the correlation of overall survival with tumor location (lobar vs. deep grey matter) and with other clinical and imaging variables in a cohort of patients with high grade gliomas.

METHODS

Adult patients with newly diagnosed supratentorial WHO grade 3 and 4 gliomas were evaluated. Clinical data included demographics, symptoms at presentation, treatment variables, and overall survival. Radiological data included tumor side, site (deep vs. lobar) and size, extent of peritumoral edema, and presence of midline shift. Biostatistics were carried out using log rank tests and univariate and multivariate Cox regression models.

RESULTS

A total of 121 patients were investigated, 23 (19.0%) with WHO grade 3 and 98 (81.0%) with WHO grade 4 gliomas. Tumors had lobar location in 96 cases (79.3%) and deep grey matter location in 25 cases (20.7%). Median survival time for all patients was 26 weeks (IQR: 14-53). Patients with deep tumors survived significantly longer than those with lobar gliomas (log rank test, p=0.0083). Extensive brain edema significantly shortened survival (log rank test, p=0.0003). Presence of midline shift (>1 cm) was a statistically significant risk factor for shorter survival (log rank test, p<0.0001). The univariate Cox regression model demonstrated statistical significance for the variables age, side, site and size of tumor, presence of extensive edema, and presence of mass effect (>1 cm). In the multivariate Cox models, tumor grade, site and size showed statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests that patients with deep grey matter gliomas may survive significantly longer after the initial diagnosis than those with tumors in a lobar location. This is a potentially novel finding, which may corroborate the theory of differential invasion of glioma cells in different microenvironments of the brain, but remains to be confirmed in future prospective studies.

Surgical resection of thalamic tumors in children: approaches and clinical results

OBJECTIVES

Thalamic tumors are uncommon, and although gross total removal (GTR) is a prospective goal, its interest is debated because the thalamus constitutes a highly functional region. The relation of choice of the surgical approach, achievability of GTR, and operative morbidity to the anatomic location of the tumor has received little attention in the medical literature.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We reviewed retrospectively the cases of pediatric patients treated for thalamic tumor, with pre- and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging, and who were operated with the aim of maximal surgical removal.

CONCLUSION

We reviewed 16 cases operated between 1992 and 2003. The clinical presentation was dominated by intracranial hypertension and hemiparesis. Fifteen children were operated through transcortical approaches: transfrontal in six cases, transparietal in six, and transtemporal in three. The remaining patient was operated through an infratemporal approach. All operations performed since 1998 used intraoperative neuronavigation. Complete or near-total resection was achieved in 11 cases; only subtotal resection was achieved in the remaining five cases. The most common postoperative morbidity was visual field defect. Hemiparesis was unchanged or improved in all the cases. Seven children died of tumor progression, in relation with high histological grade, and one died of acute hydrocephalus. The approach to thalamic tumors needs to be planned according to the location of critical neural structures. GTR of thalamic tumors in children bears acceptable morbidity and may even improve preoperative deficits. Surgery alone can be curative in low-grade tumors; in high-grade or infiltrating tumors, GTR is only part of the overall oncological management.

Thalamic tumors in children: a reappraisal

OBJECT

Two to five percent of pediatric brain tumors are located in the thalamus. The optimal management for these tumors remains unclear. The aim of this study was to determine whether clinical and neuroimaging features could guide treatment, and to what extent these features, together with histological diagnosis and treatment modalities, influenced survival.

METHODS

The records of 69 children who presented with a thalamic tumor between 1989 and 2003 were retrospectively reviewed. Three groups of tumors were analyzed separately: 1) unilateral thalamic tumors (54 lesions); 2) thalamopeduncular tumors (six); and 3) bilateral thalamic tumors (nine). In the patients in whom a unilateral thalamic tumor was diagnosed, 33 had an astrocytic tumor. Of the 54 patients, 32 had a low-grade and 22 had a high-grade tumor. The survival rate was significantly better for patients with the following characteristics: symptom duration longer than 2 months (p < 0.001), lesions with low-grade histological features (p = 0.003), and tumor excision greater than 90% at surgery (p = 0.04). The perioperative morbidity and mortality rates were 37 and 4%, respectively. Fifty-four percent of the patients in this group had a long-term and independent survival. The thalamopeduncular tumors were mostly pilocytic astrocytomas, which had a good prognosis following surgery. The bilateral thalamic tumors in this series were mainly low-grade astrocytic lesions, and more than half of the children attained long-term survival (mean follow-up duration 4.5 years).

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of tumors arising in the thalamus are astrocytic, of which less than half are high-grade lesions. Histological evaluations should be performed in all patients in whom resection is being considered for discrete lesions. Long-term survival is possible in patients with these tumors.

Thalamic gliomas in children: an extensive clinical, neuroradiological and pathological study of 14 cases

OBJECT

Thalamic tumors represent only 1 to 5% of brain neoplasms but frequently affect children. However, pediatric series are rare and go back to several years in spite of recent advances in the neuroradiological, pathological, and molecular fields.

METHODS

We report a series of 14 pediatric thalamic gliomas with clinical, neuroradiological, and pathological studies including p53 immunostaining in 11 cases and 1p19q status in three cases.

RESULTS

Our series included five pilocytic astrocytomas, seven oligodendrogliomas, and two glioblastomas. Pilocytic astrocytomas were characterized by strong contrast enhancement, lack of p53 expression, and excellent prognosis. Oligodendrogliomas frequently demonstrated an aspect of unilateral thalamic enlargement lacking or with slight contrast enhancement. Some of them expressed p53 or demonstrated 1p loss. Anaplastic oligodendrogliomas and glioblastomas displayed a poor outcome, with a mean survival of 8 months after surgery.

CONCLUSION

Our series of pediatric thalamic gliomas clearly distinguishes pilocytic astrocytomas from anaplastic oligodendrogliomas regarding neuroimaging, pathology, and prognosis.

Gross total removal of gliomas in the pulvinar and correlative microsurgical anatomy

Tumors in the pulvinar tend to present as circumscribed lesions with exophytic growth into the lateral and third ventricles. These lesions may be best explored via a parietal-transcortical-transventricular approach. If the tumor extends posteriorly or inferiorly, a posterior-interhemispheric-transtentorial approach may provide a good angle of access. Gross total removal of the tumors in the pulvinar of two patients was achieved by surgical sectioning of the unilateral crus of the fornix or the splenium via a transventricular or interhemispheric approach with acceptable risk. These patients are now doing well as students about 6 years following the first operations. During tumor removal, a posterior-interhemispheric-transtentorial approach combined with above-mentioned approaches was useful for orientation of the critical structures in the posterior incisural space. Knowledge of the anatomical relationships of the pulvinar to the crus of the fornix and the choroid plexus, and to the critical structures located in the posterior incisural space is extremely important for neurosurgeons.