Age and surgical outcome of low-grade glioma in Sweden

Risk prediction and treatment assessment in glioma patients using SEER database: a prospective observational study

OBJECTIVES

To use a nomogram to predict the risk of mortality and estimate the impact of current treatment on the prognosis of glioma patients.

METHODS

A total of 3798 cases were obtained from the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database according to the selection criteria. A nomogram was built on the independent clinical factors screened by the variance inflation factor, univariate analyses and a multivariate Cox regression model. Then, categorising the overall population into high-risk, medium-risk and low-risk groups using nomogram-derived risk scores, to study the impact of treatment on different subgroups' survival outcomes. Furthermore, based on the postmatch cohorts, the influences of treatment on survival outcomes were assessed by the log-rank test.

RESULT

Age, race, stage of disease, histological type, histological grade, surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were identified as the independent prognostic factors. A nomogram with good discrimination and consistency was built. Generally, the patients who underwent surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy were more likely to achieve better prognosis than those who did not, except for those who received radiotherapy in the low-risk cohort and those who underwent surgery in the high-risk cohort. Furthermore, the isocitrate dehydrogenase 1/2 (IDH1/2) wild-type patients with surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy tended to have higher survival probabilities, while some inconsistent results were observed in the IDH mutant-type cohort.

CONCLUSION

Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy improved the prognosis, while appropriate selection of topical treatment for the low-risk or high-risk patients deserves further consideration. IDH status gene might be a reliable indicator of therapeutic effectiveness.

Prognosis Individualized: Survival predictions for WHO grade II and III gliomas with a machine learning-based web application

WHO grade II and III gliomas demonstrate diverse biological behaviors resulting in variable survival outcomes. In the context of glioma prognosis, machine learning (ML) approaches could facilitate the navigation through the maze of factors influencing survival, aiding clinicians in generating more precise and personalized survival predictions. Here we report the utilization of ML models in predicting survival at 12, 24, 36, and 60 months following grade II and III glioma diagnosis. From the National Cancer Database, we analyze 10,001 WHO grade II and 11,456 grade III cranial gliomas. Using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) values, we deploy the top-performing models in a web application for individualized predictions. SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) enhance the interpretability of the models. Top-performing predictive models are the ones built with LightGBM and Random Forest algorithms. For grade II gliomas, the models yield AUROC values ranging from 0.813 to 0.896 for predicting mortality across different timeframes, and for grade III gliomas, the models yield AUROCs ranging from 0.855 to 0.878. ML models provide individualized survival forecasts for grade II and III glioma patients across multiple clinically relevant time points. The user-friendly web application represents a pioneering digital tool to potentially integrate predictive analytics into neuro-oncology clinical practice, to empower prognostication and personalize clinical decision-making.

Pan-glioma analyses reveal species- and tumor-specific regulation of neuron-glioma synapse genes by lncRNAs

Gliomas are highly heterogeneous and aggressive. Malignant cells in gliomas can contact normal neurons through a synapse-like structure (called neuron-to-glioma synapse, NGS) to promote their proliferation, but it is unclear whether NGS gene expression and regulation show species- and tumor-specificity. This question is important in that many anti-cancer drugs are developed upon mouse models. To address this question, we conducted a pan-glioma analysis using nine scRNA-seq datasets from humans and mice. We also experimentally validated the key element of our methods and verified a key result using TCGA datasets of the same glioma types. Our analyses revealed that NGS gene expression and regulation by lncRNAs are highly species- and tumor-specific. Importantly, simian-specific lncRNAs are more involved in NGS gene regulation than lncRNAs conserved in mammals, and transgenic mouse gliomas have little in common with PDX mouse models and human gliomas in terms of NGS gene regulation. The analyses suggest that simian-specific lncRNAs are a new and rich class of potential targets for tumor-specific glioma treatment, and provide pertinent data for further experimentally and clinically exmining the targets.

Presenting characteristics, histological subtypes and outcomes of adult central nervous system tumours: retrospective review of a surgical cohort

Introduction

The most recent local study on the incidence of histological subtypes of all brain and spinal tumours treated surgically was published in 2000. In view of the outdated data, we investigated the presenting characteristics, histological subtypes and outcomes of adult patients who underwent surgery for brain or spinal tumours at our institution.

Methods

A single-centre retrospective review of 501 patients who underwent surgery for brain or spinal tumours from 2016 to 2020 was conducted. The inclusion criteria were (a) patients who had a brain or spinal tumour that was histologically verified and (b) patients who were aged 18 years and above at the time of surgery.

Results

Four hundred and thirty-five patients (86.8%) had brain tumours and 66 patients (13.2%) had spinal tumours. Patients with brain tumours frequently presented with cranial nerve palsy, headache and weakness, while patients with spinal tumours frequently presented with weakness, numbness and back pain. Overall, the most common histological types of brain and spinal tumours were metastases, meningiomas and tumours of the sellar region. The most common complications after surgery were cerebrospinal fluid leak, diabetes insipidus and urinary tract infection. In addition, 15.2% of the brain tumours and 13.6% of the spinal tumours recurred, while 25.7% of patients with brain tumours and 18.2% of patients with spinal tumours died. High-grade gliomas and metastases had the poorest survival and highest recurrence rates.

Conclusion

This study serves as a comprehensive update of the epidemiology of brain and spinal tumours and could help guide further studies on brain and spinal tumours.

Low grade gliomas guide-lines elaborated by the tumor section of Spanish Society of Neurosurgery

Adult low-grade gliomas (Low Grade Gliomas, LGG) are tumors that originate from the glial cells of the brain and whose management involves great controversy, starting from the diagnosis, to the treatment and subsequent follow-up. For this reason, the Tumor Group of the Spanish Society of Neurosurgery (GT-SENEC) has held a consensus meeting, in which the most relevant neurosurgical issues have been discussed, reaching recommendations based on the best scientific evidence. In order to obtain the maximum benefit from these treatments, an individualised assessment of each patient should be made by a multidisciplinary team. Experts in each LGG treatment field have briefly described it based in their experience and the reviewed of the literature. Each area has been summarized and focused on the best published evidence. LGG have been surrounded by treatment controversy, although during the last years more accurate data has been published in order to reach treatment consensus. Neurosurgeons must know treatment options, indications and risks to participate actively in the decision making and to offer the best surgical treatment in every case.

Predictive models and survival analysis of postoperative mental health disturbances in adult glioma patients

Background and Objectives

Patients with primary malignant brain tumors may experience mental health disturbances that can significantly affect their daily life. This study aims to identify risk factors and generate predictive models for postoperative mental health disturbances (PMHDs) in adult glioma patients in accordance with different clinical periods; additionally, survival analyses will be performed.

Methods

This longitudinal cohort study included 2,243 adult patients (age at diagnosis ≥ 18 years) with nonrecurrent glioma who were pathologically diagnosed and had undergone initial surgical resection. Six indicators of distress, sadness, fear, irritability, mood and enjoyment of life, ranging from 0-10, were selected to assess PMHDs in glioma patients in the third month after surgery, mainly referring to the M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory Brain Tumor Module (MDASI-BT). Factor analysis (FA) was applied on these indicators to divide participants into PMHD and control groups based on composite factor scores. Survival analyses were performed, and separate logistic regression models were formulated for preoperative and postoperative factors predicting PMHDs.

Results

A total of 2,243 adult glioma patients were included in this study. Based on factor analysis results, 300 glioma patients had PMHDs in the third postoperative month, and the remaining 1,943 were controls. Candidate predictors for PMHDs in the preoperative model were associated with age, clinical symptoms (intracranial space-occupying lesion, muscle weakness and memory deterioration), and tumor location (corpus callosum, basal ganglia and brainstem), whereas age, clinical symptoms (nausea and memory deterioration), tumor location (basal ganglia and brainstem), hospitalization days, WHO grade 4, postoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy and postoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) served as important factors in the postoperative model. In addition, the median overall survival (OS) time for glioma patients with PMHDs was 19 months, compared to 13 months for glioblastoma, IDH-wild type (GBM) patients with PMHDs.

Conclusion

The risk factors for PMHDs were identified. These findings may provide new insights into predicting the probability of PMHD occurrence in glioma patients in addition to aiding effective early intervention and improving prognosis based on different clinical stages.

Reducing complication rates for repeat craniotomies in glioma patients: a single-surgeon experience and comparison with the literature

Background

There is a concern that glioma patients undergoing repeat craniotomies are more prone to complications. The study’s goal was to assess if the complication profiles for initial and repeat craniotomies were similar, to determine predictors of complications, and to compare results with those in the literature.

Methods

A retrospective study was conducted of glioma patients (WHO grade II–IV) who underwent either an initial or repeat craniotomy performed by the senior author from 2012 until 2019. Complications were recorded by discharge, 30 days, and 90 days postoperatively. New neurologic deficits were recorded by 90 days postoperatively. Multivariate regression was performed to identify factors associated with complications. A meta-analysis was performed to identify rates of complications based on number of prior craniotomies.

Results

Within the cohort of 714 patients, 400 (56%) had no prior craniotomies, 218 (30.5%) had undergone 1 prior craniotomy, and 96 (13.5%) had undergone ≥ 2 prior craniotomies. There were 27 surgical and 10 medical complications in 30 patients (4.2%) and 19 reoperations for complications in 19 patients (2.7%) with no deaths by 90 days. Complications, reoperation rates, and new neurologic deficits did not differ based on number of prior craniotomies. On multivariate analysis, older age (OR1.5, 95%CI 1.0–2.2) and significant leukocytosis due to steroid use (OR12.6, 95%CI 2.5–62.9) were predictors of complications. Complication rates in the cohort were lower than rates reported in the literature.

Conclusion

Contrary to prior reports in the literature, repeat craniotomies can be as safe as initial operations if surgeons implement best practices.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00701-021-05067-9.

Classification of Adverse Events Following Surgery in Patients With Diffuse Lower-Grade Gliomas

Background

Recently, the Therapy-Disability-Neurology (TDN) was introduced as a multidimensional reporting system to detect adverse events in neurosurgery. The aim of this study was to compare the novel TDN score with the Landriel–Ibanez classification (LIC) grade in a large cohort of patients with diffuse lower-grade glioma (dLGG). Since the TDN score lacks validation against patient-reported outcomes, we described health-related quality of life (HRQoL) change in relation to TDN scores in a subset of patients.

Methods

We screened adult patients with a surgically treated dLGG World Health Organization (WHO) grade 2 and 3 between 2010 and 2020. Up until 2017, it consists of a retrospective cohort (n = 158). From 2017 and onwards, HRQoL was registered using EuroQoL-5-dimension, three levels of response (EQ-5D 3L) questionnaire at baseline and 3 months follow-up, in a prospectively recruited cohort (n = 102). Both the LIC grade and TDN score were used to classify adverse events.

Results

In total, 231 patients were included. In 110/231 (47.6%) of the surgical procedures, a postoperative complication was registered. When comparing the TDN score to LIC grades, only a minor shift towards complications of higher order could be observed. EQ-5D 3L was reported for 45 patients. Patients with complications related to surgery had pre- to postoperative changes in EQ-5D 3L index values (n = 27; mean 0.03, 95% CI −0.06 to 0.11) that were comparable to patients without complications (n = 18; mean −0.06, 95% CI −0.21 to 0.08). In contrast, patients with new-onset neurological deficit had a deterioration in HRQoL at follow-up, with a mean change in the EQ-5D 3L index value of 0.11 (n = 13, 95% CI 0.0 to 0.22) compared to −0.06 (n = 32, 95% CI −0.15 to 0.03) for all other patients.

Conclusions

In patients with dLGG, TDN scores compared to the standard LIC tend to capture more adverse events of higher order. There was no clear relation between TDN severity and HRQoL. However, new-onset neurological deficit caused impairment in HRQoL. For the TDN score to better align with patient-reported outcomes, more emphasis on neurological deficit and function should be considered.

Practice of the new supervised machine learning predictive analytics for glioma patient survival after tumor resection: Experiences in a high-volume Chinese center

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to assess the effectiveness of the Gradient Boosting (GB) algorithm on glioma prognosis prediction and to explore new predictive models for glioma patient survival after tumor resection.

METHODS

A cohort of 776 glioma cases (WHO grades II-IV) between 2010 and 2017 was obtained. Clinical characteristics and biomarker information were reviewed. Subsequently, we constructed the conventional Cox survival model and three different supervised machine learning models, including support vector machine (SVM), random survival forest (RSF), Tree GB, and Component GB. Then, the model performance was compared with each other. At last, we also assessed the feature importance of models.

RESULTS

The concordance indexes of the conventional survival model, SVM, RSF, Tree GB, and Component GB were 0.755, 0.787, 0.830, 0.837, and 0.840, respectively. All areas under the cumulative receiver operating characteristic curve of both GB models were above 0.800 at different survival times. Their calibration curves showed good calibration of survival prediction. Meanwhile, the analysis of feature importance revealed Karnofsky performance status, age, tumor subtype, extent of resection, and so on as crucial predictive factors.

CONCLUSION

Gradient Boosting models performed better in predicting glioma patient survival after tumor resection than other models.

Analysis of Prognostic Factors of Low-Grade Gliomas in Adults Using Time-Dependent Competing Risk Models: A Population Study Based on the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Database

BACKGROUND

Because of multiple competing death outcomes and time-varying coefficients, using a Cox regression model to analyze the prognostic factors of low-grade gliomas (LGG) may lead to a possible bias. Therefore, we adopted time-dependent competing risk models to obtain accurate prognostic factors for LGG.

METHODS

In this retrospective cohort study, data were extracted from patients enrolled in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database between 2000 and 2018. Univariate analysis was performed using the cumulative incidence function (CIF) and Kaplan-Meier (KM) function. Time-dependent competing risk and Cox regression models were used in the multivariable analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 2581 patients were diagnosed with low-grade glioma, among whom 889 died from low-grade glioma, 114 died from other causes, and the rest were alive. The time-dependent competing risk models indicated that age, sex, marital status, primary tumor site, histological type, tumor diameter, surgery, and year of diagnosis were significantly associated with low-grade glioma-specific death, and the relative effect of age, tumor diameter, surgery, oligodendroglioma, and mixed glioma on low-grade glioma-specific death changed over time. Compared with the competing risk models, the Cox regression model misestimated the hazard ratio (HR) of covariates on the outcome and even produced false-negative results.

CONCLUSIONS

The time-dependent competing risk models were better than the Cox regression model for evaluating the impact of covariates on low-grade glioma-specific mortality in the presence of competing risks and time-varying coefficients. The models identified the prognostic factors of LGG more accurately than the Cox regression model.

Variations in the management of diffuse low-grade gliomas-A Scandinavian multicenter study

Background

Early extensive surgery is a cornerstone in treatment of diffuse low-grade gliomas (DLGGs), and an additional survival benefit has been demonstrated from early radiochemotherapy in selected “high-risk” patients. Still, there are a number of controversies related to DLGG management. The objective of this multicenter population-based cohort study was to explore potential variations in diagnostic work-up and treatment between treating centers in 2 Scandinavian countries with similar public health care systems.

Methods

Patients screened for inclusion underwent primary surgery of a histopathologically verified diffuse WHO grade II glioma in the time period 2012 through 2017. Clinical and radiological data were collected from medical records and locally conducted research projects, whereupon differences between countries and inter-hospital variations were explored.

Results

A total of 642 patients were included (male:female ratio 1:4), and annual age-standardized incidence rates were 0.9 and 0.8 per 100 000 in Norway and Sweden, respectively. Considerable inter-hospital variations were observed in preoperative work-up, tumor diagnostics, surgical strategies, techniques for intraoperative guidance, as well as choice and timing of adjuvant therapy.

Conclusions

Despite geographical population-based case selection, similar health care organizations, and existing guidelines, there were considerable variations in DLGG management. While some can be attributed to differences in clinical implementation of current scientific knowledge, some of the observed inter-hospital variations reflect controversies related to diagnostics and treatment. Quantification of these disparities renders possible identification of treatment patterns associated with better or worse outcomes and may thus represent a step toward more uniform evidence-based care.

A Novel Six Autophagy-Related Genes Signature Associated With Outcomes and Immune Microenvironment in Lower-Grade Glioma

Since autophagy and the immune microenvironment are deeply involved in the tumor development and progression of Lower-grade gliomas (LGG), our study aimed to construct an autophagy-related risk model for prognosis prediction and investigate the relationship between the immune microenvironment and risk signature in LGG. Therefore, we identified six autophagy-related genes (BAG1, PTK6, EEF2, PEA15, ITGA6, and MAP1LC3C) to build in the training cohort (n = 305 patients) and verify the prognostic model in the validation cohort (n = 128) and the whole cohort (n = 433), based on the data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The six-gene risk signature could divide LGG patients into high- and low-risk groups with distinct overall survival in multiple cohorts (all p < 0.001). The prognostic effect was assessed by area under the time-dependent ROC (t-ROC) analysis in the training, validation, and whole cohorts, in which the AUC value at the survival time of 5 years was 0.837, 0.755, and 0.803, respectively. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that the risk model was an independent risk predictor of OS (HR > 1, p < 0.05). A nomogram including the traditional clinical parameters and risk signature was constructed, and t-ROC, C-index, and calibration curves confirmed its robust predictive capacity. KM analysis revealed a significant difference in the subgroup analyses' survival. Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these autophagy-related signatures were mainly involved in the phagosome and immune-related pathways. Besides, we also found significant differences in immune cell infiltration and immunotherapy targets between risk groups. In conclusion, we built a powerful predictive signature and explored immune components (including immune cells and emerging immunotherapy targets) in LGG.

Age is associated with unfavorable neuropathological and radiological features and poor outcome in patients with WHO grade 2 and 3 gliomas

With the rising life expectancy and availability of neuroimaging, increased number of older patients will present with diffuse and anaplastic gliomas. The aim of our study was therefore to investigate age-related prognostic clinical, neuropathological and radiological features of lower-grade gliomas. All consecutive patients with diffuse or anaplastic glioma WHO grade 2 and 3 who underwent first tumor resection between 2010 and 2018, were selected from the institutional neuro-oncological database and evaluated. The mean age of 55 males and 44 females was 46 years (SD ± 16). Wild-type IDH1 (p = 0.012), persistent nuclear ATRX expression (p = 0.012) and anaplasia (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with higher age. The CE volume before resection was found to be increased in older patients (r = 0.42, p < 0.0001), and CE rate was higher in the IDH wild-type population only (p = 0.02). The extent of resection did not differ with age. Overall, one year of life resulted in a PFS reduction of 9 days (p = 0.047); in IDH sub-group analysis, this dependency was confirmed only in wild-type tumors (p = 0.05). OS was significantly reduced in older patients (p = 0.033). In conclusion, behavior and prognosis of WHO grade 2 and 3 glioma were unfavorable in correlation to patient’s age, even if the extent of resection was comparable. Older age imparted a poorer PFS and higher CE rate only in the IDH wild-type population.

Racial/ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic survival disparities in adolescents and young adults with primary central nervous system tumors

BACKGROUND

Disparities in survival by race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and geography in adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients with central nervous system (CNS) tumors have not been well studied.

PROCEDURE

A retrospective cohort study utilizing the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database was conducted for AYA patients diagnosed with primary CNS tumors. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) were calculated using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model to evaluate the association between race/ethnicity, SES, rurality, and hazard of death.

RESULTS

All minority groups showed an increased hazard of death with greatest disparities in the high-grade glioma cohort. Lower SES was associated with an increased hazard of death in non-Hispanic White (NHW) patients (aHR 1.12; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.01-1.24), non-Hispanic Black (NHB) patients (aHR 1.34; 95% CI 1.00-1.80), and patients aged 25-29 years (aHR 1.29; 95% CI 1.07-1.55). Mediation analysis showed an indirect effect of SES on the effect of race/ethnicity on the hazard of death only among NHB patients, with SES accounting for 33.7% of the association between NHB and hazard of death. Rurality was associated with an increased hazard of death for patients in the lowest SES tertile (aHR 1.31; 95% CI 1.08-1.59) and NHW patients (aHR 1.20; 95% CI 1.08-1.34).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients identified as a racial/ethnic minority, patients with a lower SES, and patients residing in rural areas had an increased hazard of death. Further studies are needed to understand and address the biological, psychosocial, societal, and economic factors that impact AYA neuro-oncology patients at highest risk of experiencing poorer outcomes.

Systematic Analysis of 4-gene Prognostic Signature in Patients with Diffuse Gliomas Based on Gene Expression Profiles

Background: Diffuse gliomas are a group of diseases that contain different degrees of malignancy and complex heterogeneity. Previous studies proposed biomarkers for certain grades of gliomas, but few of them have conducted a systematic analysis of different grades to search for molecular markers.

Methods: WGCNA was used to find significant genes associated with malignant progression of diffuse glioma in TCGA glioma sequencing expression data and the GEO expression profile-merge meta dataset. Lasso regression was used for potential model building and the best model was selected by CPE, IDI, and C_index. Risk score model was used to evaluate the gene signature prognostic power. Multi-omics data, including CNV, methylation, clinical traits, and mutation, were used for model evaluation.

Results: We found out 67 genes significantly associated with malignant progression of diffuse glioma by WGCNA. Next, we established a new 4 gene molecular marker (KDELR2, EMP3, TIMP1, and TAGLN2). Multivariate cox analysis identified the risk score of the 4 genes as an independent predictor of prognosis in patients with diffuse gliomas, and its predictive power was independent of the histopathological grades of glioma. Further, we had confirmed in five independent test datasets and the risk score remained good predictive power. The combination of the prognosis model with specific molecular characteristics possessed a better predictive power. Furthermore, we divided the low-risk group into three subtypes: LowRisk_IDH1^wt, LowRisk_IDH1^mut/ATRX^mut, and LowRisk_IDH1^mut/ATRX^wt by combining IDH1 mutation with ATRX mutation, which possessed obvious survival difference. In further analysis, we found that the 4 gene prognosis model possessed multi-omics features.

Conclusion: We established a malignant-related 4-gene molecular marker by glioma expression profile data from multiple microarrays and sequencing data. The four markers had good predictive power on the overall survival of glioma patients and were associated with gliomas' clinical and genetic backgrounds, including clinical features, gene mutation, methylation, CNV, signal pathways.

Outcomes of infratentorial cranial surgery for tumor resection in older patients: An analysis of the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program

Background:

Poorer outcomes for infratentorial tumor resection have been reported. There is a lack of large multicenter analyses describing infratentorial surgery outcomes in older patients. We characterized outcomes in patients aged ≥65 years undergoing infratentorial cranial surgery.

Methods:

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried from 2012 to 2018 for patients ≥18 years undergoing elective infratentorial cranial surgery for tumor resection. Patients were grouped into 65–74 years, ≥75 years, and 18–64 years cohorts. Multivariable regressions compared outcome measures.

Results:

Of 2212 patients, 28.3% were ≥65 years, of whom 24.8% were ≥75 years. Both older subpopulations had worse American Society of Anesthesiologists classification compared to controls (P < 0.01) and more comorbidities. Patients 65–74 and ≥75 years had higher rates of major complication (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.77, 95% CI = 1.13–2.79 and aOR = 3.44, 95% CI = 1.96–6.02, respectively), prolonged length of stay (LOS) (aOR = 1.89, 95% CI = 1.15–3.12 and aOR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.65–5.44, respectively), and were more likely to be discharged to a location other than home (aOR = 2.43, 95% CI =1.73–3.4 and aOR = 3.41, 95% CI = 2.18–5.33, respectively) relative to controls. Patients ≥75 had higher rates of readmission (aOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.13–3.08) and mortality (aOR = 3.28, 95% CI = 1.21–8.89) at 30 days.

Conclusion:

Patients ≥65 years experienced more complications, prolonged LOS, and were less often discharged home than adults <65 years. Patients ≥75 years had higher rates of 30-day readmission and mortality. There is a need for careful preoperative optimization in older patients undergoing infratentorial tumor cranial surgery.

Early outcomes of supratentorial cranial surgery for tumor resection in older patients

With longevity increasing in the United States, more older individuals are presenting with supratentorial brain tumors. Despite improved perioperative management, there is persistent disparity in surgical resection rates among patients aged 65 years or older. We aim to assess the effects of advanced age (≥65 years) on 30-day outcomes in patients with supratentorial tumors who underwent craniotomy for supratentorial tumor resection. Data obtained in adults who underwent supratentorial tumor resections was extracted from the prospectively-collected American College of Surgeons: National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP; 2012-2018) database. Using multivariate regression, we compared odds of major and minor complications; prolonged length-of-stay (LOS); discharge anywhere other than home; and 30-day readmission, reoperation, and mortality rates between patients aged 18-64 years (the control cohort) and those 65-74 years or ≥75 years of age. Of the 14,234 patients who underwent craniotomy for supratentorial tumors and met inclusion criteria, 30.7% were ≥65 years of age; 71.4% of these were 65-74 years and 28.6% were ≥75 years old. Compared to the control group, both older subpopulations had more medical comorbidities. Both older subgroups had increased odds of major complications and prolonged LOS relative to the control group. Older patients had greater odds of mortality at 30 days. Advanced age, defined as ≥65 years, was significantly associated with higher odds of complications, prolonged LOS, and mortality within the 30-day post- operative period after adjusting for potential confounders. Age is one important consideration when prospectively risk-stratifying patients to minimize and mitigate suboptimal perioperative outcomes.

Postoperative Neurological Complications after a Cranial Surgery: A Multicentre Prospective Observational Study

Background  Cranial surgery is associated with multiple postoperative complications varying from simple nausea and vomiting to devastating complications such as stroke and death. This multicentre collaborative effort was envisioned to collect observational data regarding postoperative complications in cranial surgeries among the Indian population. The aim of this study was to describe the postoperative neurological complications occurring within the first 24 hours after surgery and to identify the predictive factors.

Methods Data was collected from three participating tertiary care academic institutions. The study was prospective, observational, multicentre design with data collected over a period of two months or 100 cases, whichever is earlier, from each participating institute. A predesigned Microsoft excel sheet was distributed among all three centers to maintain uniformity. All patients aged 18 years and above of both sexes undergoing elective or emergency craniotomies were included in the study. The postoperative neurological complications (within 24 hours) assessed were: (1) Neurological deficit (ND) defined as new focal neurological motor deficit relative to preoperative status. (2) Sensorium deterioration (SD) defined as reduction in Glasgow coma score (GCS) by 2 or more points compared with preoperative GCS. (4) Postoperative seizures (SZs) defined as any seizure activity. All possible variables associated with the above neurological complications were tested using Chi-square/Fisher exact test or Mann–Whitney U test. The predictors, which were statistically significant at p < 0.2, were entered into a multiple logistic regression model. Alpha error of 5% was taken as significant.

Results Data from three institutions was collected with a total of 279 cases. In total, there were 53 (19%) neurological complications. There were 28 patients with new postoperative NDs (10.04%), 24 patients had SD (8.6%), and 17 patients had seizures (6.1%). Neurological deficits were significantly less in institution 2. Diagnosis of traumatic brain injury (TBI) was associated with very low risk of ND, and vascular pathology was associated with higher chance of a ND. The duration of anesthesia was found to be significantly predictive of SD (OR/CI = 1.01 / 1–1.02). None of the factors were predictive of PS.

Conclusion The incidences of postoperative ND, SD and postoperative seizures were 10%, 8.6%, and 6.1%, respectively. Studies with a much larger sample size are required for a better and detailed analysis of these complications.

Differences in the preferential location and invasiveness of diffuse low-grade gliomas and their impact on outcome

Background

Low‐grade gliomas (LGGs) are primary diffuse slow‐growing brain tumors derived from glial cells. The management of these tumors is dependent on their location, which often harbors eloquent areas. We retrospectively recorded the location of diffuse gliomas to identify whether specific differences exist between the histological types.

Methods

We analyzed 102 patients with previous histological diagnosis of WHO‐II astrocytomas (62) and WHO‐II oligodendrogliomas (40) according to WHO‐2016 classification. MRI sequences (T2‐FLAIR) were used for tumor volume segmentation and to create a frequency map of their locations within the Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space. The Brain‐Grid (BG) system (standardized radiological tool of intersected lines according to anatomical landmarks) was created and merged with a tractography atlas for infiltration analysis.

Results

Astrocytomas frequently infiltrated association and projection white matter pathways within fronto‐temporo‐insular regions on the left side. Oligodendrogliomas infiltrated larger white matter networks (association‐commissural‐projection) of the frontal lobe bilaterally. A critical number of infiltrated BG voxels (7 for astrocytomas, 10 for oligodendrogliomas) significantly predicted shorter overall survival (OS) in both groups. Bilateral tumor extension in astrocytomas and preoperative tumor volume in oligodendrogliomas were independent prognostic factors for shorter OS.

Conclusions

Astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas differ in preferential location, and this has an impact on the type and the extent of white matter involvement. The number of BG voxels infiltrated reflected different tumor invasiveness and its impact on OS in both groups. All this new information may be valuable in neurosurgical oncology to classify and plan treatment for patients with diffuse gliomas.

Advancements in predicting outcomes in patients with glioma: a surgical perspective

Introduction: Diffuse glioma is a challenging neurosurgical entity. Although surgery does not provide a cure, it may greatly influence survival, brain function, and quality of life. Surgical treatment is by nature highly personalized and outcome prediction is very complex. To engage and succeed in this balancing act it is important to make best use of the information available to the neurosurgeon.Areas covered: This narrative review provides an update on advancements in predicting outcomes in patients with glioma that are relevant to neurosurgeons.Expert opinion: The classical 'gut feeling' is notoriously unreliable and better prediction strategies for patients with glioma are warranted. There are numerous tools readily available for the neurosurgeon in predicting tumor biology and survival. Predicting extent of resection, functional outcome, and quality of life remains difficult. Although machine-learning approaches are currently not readily available in daily clinical practice, there are several ongoing efforts with the use of big data sets that are likely to create new prediction models and refine the existing models.

Clinical characteristics and risk factors of perioperative outcomes in elderly patients with intracranial tumors

We aimed to study the clinical and radiological characteristics of intracranial tumors and explore the possible predictive value of these characteristics in relation to perioperative outcomes in elderly patients. We retrospectively identified 1535 elderly patients (aged 65 years and older) with intracranial tumors who underwent surgical resection between 2014 and 2018 in Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Factors associated with an increased risk of unfavorable perioperative performance and complications were investigated. Meningiomas were the most common tumors in the cohort (43.26%). The overall risk of perioperative death was 0.59%, and 42.80% of patients were discharged with unfavorable performance (Karnofsky Performance Scale [KPS] score ≤ 70). Of all patients, 39.22% had one or more complications after surgical resection. Aggressive surgery significantly lowered the rate of unfavorable perioperative outcomes (P = 0.000) with no increase in postoperative complications (P = 0.153), but it failed to be an independent predictor for perioperative outcomes in the multivariate analysis. Low performance status at admission (KPS ≤ 70) was independently associated with both unfavorable perioperative performance (P = 0.000) and complications (P = 0.000). In addition to the histopathological patterns of tumors, low performance status at admission is an independent predictor for both unfavorable perioperative performance and the occurrence of complications in elderly patients with intracranial tumors who have undergone surgical resections. However, age is not associated with perioperative outcomes in elderly patients.

Influence of pregnancy on glioma patients

BACKGROUND

Data about the influence of pregnancy on progression-free survival and overall survival of glioma patients are sparse and controversial. We aimed at providing further evidence on this relation.

METHODS

The course of 18 glioma patients giving birth to 23 children after tumor surgery was reviewed and compared to the course of 18 nulliparous female patients matched for tumor diagnosis including molecular markers, extent of resection, and tumor location.

RESULTS

Tumor pathology was astrocytoma, oligodendroglioma, and ependymoma in 9, 6, and 3 patients, respectively. Time interval between tumor resection and delivery was 5.3 ± 4.4 years. All newborns were healthy after uneventful deliveries. Tumor progression was diagnosed before pregnancy in 4 patients and during pregnancy in 1 patient, and 4 patients displayed progressive disease 31.0 ± 11 months after delivery. Three of these latter patients underwent second surgery, whereas resection of recurrent tumor had been performed in 2 women before pregnancy. Among nulliparous patients, 9 women suffered from tumor progression, resulting in re-operation in 7 patients and/or further adjuvant treatment in 6 cases. Progression-free survival did not differ between patients with and patients without children (p = 0.4). Moreover, in both groups, median overall survival was not reached after a mean follow-up period of 9.7 ± 5.7 years in glioma patients who gave birth to a child and 8.9 ± 4.2 years in nulliparous glioma patients.

CONCLUSION

Pregnancy does not seem to influence the clinical course of glioma patients. Likewise, glioma seems not to have an impact on delivered children's health.