The cell-cycle kinetics of craniopharyngioma and its clinical significance

Association of histological subtype with risk of recurrence in craniopharyngioma patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

It is controversial whether there is a different risk of recurrence between two histological subtypes in craniopharyngioma (CP) patients. Some reported that adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) had a higher risk of recurrence than papillary craniopharyngioma (PCP), but others reported that there is no significant difference between them. So, we conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the association between the histological subtype of CP and the rate of recurrence. A comprehensive literature search was undertaken in PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science for all English articles published up to November 2020. Recurrence data stratified by ACP and PCP were extracted from studies meeting inclusion criteria. A pooled analysis of the association between the histological subtype of craniopharyngioma and rates of recurrence was performed. Thirteen articles containing 974 patients were included. When stratified by two pathological subtypes, the total recurrence rate of ACP was 26.0% and PCP was 14.1%, which showed ACP associated with a higher risk of tumor recurrence than PCP (odds ratio [OR] = 2.12, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.36, 3.30, P = 0.00). This is the first meta-analysis focusing on histological subtypes of CP. PCP associates with a lower risk of recurrence than ACP, indicating that ACP could act as one of recurrence risk factors for CP patients. Nevertheless, large sample size and well-designed multicenter studies in which the other clinical variables are controlled to determine the histological subtype of CP as an independent recurrence risk factor are needed.

Craniopharyngioma cell growth is promoted by growth hormone (GH) and is inhibited by tamoxifen: involvement of growth hormone receptor (GHR) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R)

Hormone receptors are related to the biological behavior and recurrence of craniopharyngioma (CP). The effect of therapeutic growth hormone (GH) replacement on CP growth remains largely unclear. We intended to study expression patterns of GH-related receptors in CP, and to study the effect of GH and its mediator, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), as well as tamoxifen, on primary CP cell cultures. Primary cell cultures were established from fresh tumor specimens. The expression of GH receptor (GHR) and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in tumor specimens was studied using immunohistochemistry. Cell cultures were treated with various concentrations of recombinant GH, IGF-1 and tamoxifen. Cell growth promotion or inhibition was assayed using the Trypan blue dye exclusion test of cell viability. Expression of GHR, IGF-1R, phosphorylated-Akt and Akt after treatment was studied using Western blot assay. Twenty-nine primary cultures from 36 patients were established. GHR and IGF-1R were expressed in tumor tissue. The promotion of cell growth by GH compared to control was most prominent at 100 ng/mL, while inhibition by tamoxifen was concentration dependent. IGF-1 was more effective in promoting growth in CP cell cultures with high IGF-1R expression, and it increased phosphorylation of Akt protein. Primary cell cultures can be established in more than 80% of fresh CP specimens. GH and its endogenous mediator, IGF-1, promotes CP cell growth in vitro, while tamoxifen inhibits growth.