Long-term survival of glioblastoma: A systematic analysis of literature about a case

INTRODUCTION

In spite of the changes for the treatment of glioblastoma since 2005, we have not seen differences between long-survival patients of more than 10 years showing a value minor than 1%.

MATERIAL AND METHOD

We realize a systematic analysis and identify important factors for long survivor patients. We also show an own case with more of 20 years of survival. We make a new pathological study of the old paraffin block of this patient.

RESULTS

The most important variable associated with long-survival between all multivariant studies is the age. When we try to find genetic and molecular alterations in glioblastoma associated with prolongated survival, the MGMT promoter methylation play the most important role. We find a correct diagnosis in the current analysis of our patient's sample with very long survival.

CONCLUSIONS

Multiple variables are found that affect long survival of glioblastoma series but analyzed studies are very heterogeneous and it is very difficult comparation between them. Most articles we review are obtained from databases of different countries with hundreds of patients. It would be very interesting to promote the use of a single database in Spain that allows us to study these long-term glioblastoma survivors.

Enhanced frontoparietal connectivity in multiple sclerosis patients and healthy controls in response to an intensive computerized training focused on working memory

BACKGROUND

Working memory (WM) deficits are common in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. Computerized cognitive training may enhance WM capabilities but its efficacy in MS patients has not been sufficiently explored.

METHODS

This study examines the effects of n-back training on cognitive performance and functional connectivity (FC) in 29 MS patients and 29 healthy controls (HC). Baseline (S1) performance on 2- and 3-back tasks and FC within the fronto-parietal network were assessed before randomly splitting the sample into four subgroups: trained MS (MSt, n = 15), trained HC (HCt, n = 14), untrained MS (MSu, n = 14), and untrained HC (HCu, n = 15). The trained subgroups underwent adaptive n-back training (60 min/day; 4 days) and n-back task performance and FC were reassessed in a second session (S2).

RESULTS

As revealed by mixed two-way ANOVAs, trained participants (MSt and HCt) exhibited a significant increase in the number of correct responses and significantly reduced reaction times in S2. These performance improvements were accompanied by an increase in FC in the fronto-parietal pathways and statistically significant correlations between both effects were found.

CONCLUSIONS

Computerised WM training results in behavioural and neuroplasticity positive effects that may be useful when trying to prevent or attenuate cognitive decline in MS patients.