Anaplastic astrocytoma: prognostic factors and survival in 4807 patients with emphasis on receipt and impact of adjuvant therapy

The NeuroPoint alliance SRS & tumor QOD registries

OBJECTIVE

Along with the increasing interest in real-world evidence in neuro-oncology, the deficiencies of prior population-based and quality registries became evident. The neuro-oncological quality registries of the NeuroPoint Alliance (NPA) focus on neuro-oncological surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and aim to fill the gaps of neuro-oncological practice in quality surveillance and real-world research.

METHODS

Herein, we discuss the historical background, design process, and features of the NPA SRS and Tumor QOD registries. The registries'current status and future directions are outlined.

RESULTS

The NPA SRS and Tumor QOD registries were designed based on the principles of prospective multi-institutional data collection, central auditing for data quality, and focus on patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Currently, the registries include over 4,500 and 2,500 patients each, with caseloads comprising predominantly of brain metastases and primary extra-axial tumors, respectively. The registries serve both as a quality surveillance and improvement tool - providing participating sites with adjusted quality reports - and as platforms for real-world research of observational and, potentially, interventional nature. Future directions of the NPA neuro-oncological registries include the functional communications of the two registries and the incorporation of imaging analyses in the workflow of quality assessment and research efforts.

CONCLUSIONS

The NPA SRS and Tumor QOD registries are quality registries of unique granularity in terms of surgical variables and postoperative outcomes. They constitute increasingly valuable data sources for real-time quality surveillance of participating sites and real-world research.

Demographic variations and time to initiation of adjunct treatment following surgical resection of anaplastic astrocytoma in the United States: a National Cancer Database analysis

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

The aim of this study was to analyze the trends, demographic differences in the type and time to initiation (TTI) of adjunct treatment AT following surgery for anaplastic astrocytoma (AA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The National Cancer Database (NCDB) was queried for patients diagnosed with AA from 2004 to 2016. Cox proportional hazards and modeling was used to determine factors influencing survival, including the impact of time to initiation (TTI) of adjuvant therapy.

RESULTS

Overall, 5890 patients were identified from the database. The use of combined RT + CT temporally increased from 66.3% (2004-2007) to 79% (2014-2016), p < 0001. Patients more likely to receive no treatment following surgical resection included elderly (> 60 years old), hispanic patients, those with either no or government insurance, those living > 20 miles from the cancer facility, those treated at low volume centers (< 2 cases/year). AT was received following surgical resection within 0-4 weeks, 4.1-8 weeks, and > 8 weeks in 41%, 48%, and 3%, respectively. Compared to patients who received RT + CT, patients were likely to receive RT only as AT either at 4-8 weeks or > 8 weeks after the surgical procedure. Patients who received AT within 0-4 weeks had the 3-year OS of 46% compared to 56.7% for patients who received treatment at 4.1-8 weeks.

CONCLUSION

We found significant variation in the type and timing of adjunct treatment following surgical resection of AA in the United States. A considerable number of patients (15%) received no AT following surgery.

Utility of Administrative Databases and Big Data on Understanding Glioma Treatment—A Systematic Review

Background Gliomas are a heterogeneous group of tumors where large multicenter clinical and genetic studies have become increasingly popular in their understanding. We reviewed and analyzed the findings from large databases in gliomas, seeking to understand clinically relevant information.

Methods A systematic review was performed for gliomas studied using large administrative databases up to January 2020 (e.g., National Inpatient Sample [NIS], National Surgical Quality Improvement Program [NSQIP], and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program [SEER], National Cancer Database [NCDB], and others).

Results Out of 390 screened studies, 122 were analyzed. Studies included a wide range of gliomas including low- and high-grade gliomas. The SEER database (n = 83) was the most used database followed by NCDB (n = 28). The most common pathologies included glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) (n = 67), with the next category including mixes of grades II to IV glioma (n = 31). Common study themes involved evaluation of descriptive epidemiological trends, prognostic factors, comparison of different pathologies, and evaluation of outcome trends over time. Persistent health care disparities in patient outcomes were frequently seen depending on race, marital status, insurance status, hospital volume, and location, which did not change over time. Most studies showed improvement in survival because of advances in surgical and adjuvant treatments.

Conclusions This study helps summarize the use of clinical administrative databases in gliomas research, informing on socioeconomic issues, surgical outcomes, and adjuvant treatments over time on a national level. Large databases allow for some study questions that would not be possible with single institution data; however, limitations remain in data curation, analysis, and reporting methods.

Radiological assessment schedule for high-grade glioma patients during the surveillance period using parametric modeling

BACKGROUND

An optimal radiological surveillance plan is crucial for high-grade glioma (HGG) patients, which is determined arbitrarily in daily clinical practice. We propose the radiological assessment schedule using a parametric model of standardized progression-free survival (PFS) curves.

METHODS

A total of 277 HGG patients (178 glioblastoma [GBM] and 99 anaplastic astrocytoma [AA]) from a single institute who completed the standard treatment protocol were enrolled in this cohort study and retrospectively analyzed. The patients were stratified into each layered risk group by genetic signatures and residual mass or through recursive partitioning analysis. PFS curves were estimated using the piecewise exponential survival model. The criterion of a 10% progression rate among the remaining patients at each observation period was used to determine the optimal radiological assessment time point.

RESULTS

The optimal follow-up intervals for MRI evaluations of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wild-type GBM was every 7.4 weeks until 120 weeks after the end of standard treatment, followed by a 22-week inflection period and every 27.6 weeks thereafter. For the IDH mutated GBM, scans every 13.2 weeks until 151 weeks are recommended. The optimal follow-up intervals were every 22.8 weeks for IDH wild-type AA, and 41.2 weeks for IDH mutated AA until 241 weeks. Tailored radiological assessment schedules were suggested for each layered risk group of the GBM and the AA patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The optimal schedule of radiological assessments for each layered risk group of patients with HGG could be determined from the parametric model of PFS.

Demographics of Astrocytoma in Central Texas: The Interaction Between Race, Histology, and Primary Tumor Site

Introduction The epidemiological factors surrounding astrocytoma and gliomas have been studied with little avail. Even limited conclusions have not been reached in spite of significant past research efforts. Ionizing radiation is currently one of the only factors consistently associated with glioma formation. Studies in an attempt to link environmental and occupational exposures with brain neoplasms have continued to produce inconsistent results. This study aims to explore the distribution and epidemiology of astrocytomas within a Central Texas patient population in order to elucidate any possible differences in epidemiologic and prognostic factors based on race, histology, and primary tumor site. Methods Eight hundred forty-five clinical cases with the diagnosis of astrocytoma were retrospectively obtained from the tumor registry of the Scott & White Integrated Healthcare System from 1976 to 2014. We investigated the effects of gender, race, tumor histology, tumor site, treatment methods, and mortality of this cohort of patients in Central Texas. Results Prevalence data echoes that of the national epidemiology in that among our sample, White individuals had the highest prevalence (n=666, 78.8%), followed by Hispanics (n=94, 11.1%) and Black individuals (n=78, 9.2%). White patients had higher rates of parietal lobe (6.6% vs. 0.6%, p<0.01), brain overlapping (6.8% vs. 0.0%, p<0.01), and brainstem (5.9% vs. 1.7%, p=0.02) tumors. Black patients had higher rates of tumors located in brain (not otherwise specified) (35.9% vs. 15.7%, p<0.01) and cerebellum (33.3% vs. 5.6%, p<0.01). Hispanic patients had higher rates of tumor located in the temporal lobe (31.9% vs. 22.8%, p<0.05) and brain (not otherwise specified) (28.7% vs. 16.1%, p<0.01). Hispanics had the largest proportion of deaths (72.3% vs. 38.0%, p<0.01) when compared to the remainder of the sample, followed by White individuals (39.6% vs. 49.7%, p=0.02) and Black individuals (21.8% vs. 43.8%, p<0.01). Conclusions Discrepancies in mortality rates amongst various racial groups may be due to a number of factors. Primary tumor site and histology seem to indeed play a role in mortality and may present variably between ethnic groups. Mortality is also influenced by race, genetic predisposition, environmental and occupational exposure, and access to healthcare.

MRI-Based Texture Features as Potential Prognostic Biomarkers in Anaplastic Astrocytoma Patients Undergoing Surgical Treatment

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether texture features from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were associated with the overall survival (OS) of anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) patients undergoing surgical treatment. Methods. A total of 51 qualified patients who were diagnosed with AA and underwent surgical interventions in our institution were enrolled in this retrospective study. Patients were followed up for at least 30 months or until death. Texture features derived from histogram-based matrix (HISTO) and grey-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) were extracted from preoperative contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images. Each texture feature was dichotomized based on its optimal cutoff value calculated by receiver operating characteristics curve analysis. Kaplan–Meier analysis and log rank test were conducted to compare the 30-month OS between the dichotomized subgroups. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was performed to determine independent prognostic factors. Results. Three HISTO-derived features (HISTO-Energy, HISTO-Entropy, and HISTO-Skewness) and five GLCM-derived features (GLCM-Contrast, GLCM-Energy, GLCM-Entropy, GLCM-Homogeneity, and GLCM-Dissimilarity) were found to be significantly correlated with 30-month OS. Moreover, GLCM-Homogeneity (p=0.001, hazard ratio = 6.351) was suggested to be the independent predictor of the patient survival. Conclusion. MRI-based texture features have the potential to be applied as prognostic biomarkers in AA patients undergoing surgical treatment.

Patterns of care and outcomes for use of concurrent chemoradiotherapy over radiotherapy alone for anaplastic gliomas

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The role of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for anaplastic gliomas is undefined and patterns of care are under-reported. To address the knowledge gap, we examined use of CRT for grade III gliomas compared to radiotherapy (RT) alone.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

In an observational study design cohort from the National Cancer Database, we identified 4437 adult patients receiving surgery followed by either CRT or RT for supratentorial anaplastic glioma in 2003-2011. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to assess factors associated with use of CRT. Overall survival (OS) was assessed by the Kaplan-Meier analysis with log-rank tests, Cox proportional hazards regression modeling, and propensity score matching.

RESULTS

Receipt of CRT (vs. RT) was associated with recent year of diagnosis (OR for 2011 (vs. 2003) 3.36, 95% CI 2.49-4.54) and having astrocytoma (vs. oligodendroglioma) (OR 1.37, 95% CI 1.15-1.63). Patients receiving CRT had a lower adjusted hazard of death (hazard ratio 0.72, 95% CI 0.65-0.79). Outcomes were worse for patients ≥60 (HR 6.94, 95% CI 6.09-7.91) and astrocytomas (HR 2.08, 95% CI 1.85-2.34).

CONCLUSION

Use of concurrent CRT is associated with more recent year of diagnosis and improved survival relative to RT alone.

Comparison of chemoradiotherapy with radiotherapy alone for "biopsy only" anaplastic astrocytoma

Background

It has become increasingly common to incorporate adjuvant chemotherapy with radiotherapy in the treatment of resected anaplastic astrocytoma based on results from recent phase II/III randomized trials. However, whether or not combined chemoradiotherapy is associated with improved survival outcome in patients who undergo “biopsy only” is less clear.

Methods

The US National Cancer Database was used to identify patients with histologically confirmed, biopsy-only anaplastic astrocytoma who received either radiotherapy alone or combined chemoradiotherapy from 2006 through 2014.

Results

In total, 1896 patients with biopsy-only anaplastic astrocytoma were included, among whom 363 (19.1%) received radiotherapy alone and 1533 (80.9%) received combined chemoradiotherapy. The median age at diagnosis was 60 years. Combined chemoradiotherapy was associated with a significant survival benefit when compared with radiotherapy alone on univariable analysis (median, 13.2 versus 5.6 months; hazard ratio [HR], 0.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.50-0.65; p < 0.001) and on multivariable analysis (HR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.55-0.71; p < 0.001). A significant survival benefit for combined chemoradiotherapy persisted in a propensity score-matched analysis (HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.56-0.78; p<0.001).

Conclusions

Our results suggest that combined chemoradiotherapy may be associated with significantly improved survival over radiotherapy alone in patients with anaplastic astrocytoma who undergo biopsy only.