Anaplastic Astrocytoma

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

To determine the receipt and impact of adjuvant therapy on overall survival (OS) for anaplastic astrocytoma (AA). Data were extracted from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB). Chi square test, Kaplan-Meier method, and Cox regression models were employed in SPSS 22.0 (Armonk, NY: IBM Corp.) for data analyses. 4807 patients with AA diagnosed from 2004 to 2013 who underwent surgery were identified. 3243 (67.5 %) received adjuvant chemoRT, 525 (10.9 %) adjuvant radiotherapy (RT) alone, 176 (3.7 %) adjuvant chemotherapy alone and 863 (18.0 %) received no adjuvant therapy. Patients were more likely to receive adjuvant chemoRT if they were diagnosed in 2009-2013 (p = 0.022), were ≤ 50 years (p < 0.001), were male (p = 0.043), were Asian or White race (p < 0.001), had private insurance (p < 0.001), had income ≥$38,000 (p < 0.001), or underwent total resection (p < 0.003). Those who received adjuvant chemoRT had significantly better 5-year OS than the other adjuvant treatment types (41.8 % vs. 31.2 % vs. 29.8 % vs. 27.4 %, p < 0.001). This significant 5-year OS benefit was also observed regardless of age at diagnosis. Of those undergoing adjuvant chemoRT, those receiving ≥59.4 Gy had significantly better 5-year OS than those receiving <59.4 Gy (44.4 % vs. 25.9 %, p < 0.001). There was no significant difference in OS when comparing 59.4 Gy to higher RT doses. On multivariate analysis, receipt of adjuvant chemoRT, age at diagnosis, extent of disease, and insurance status were independent prognostic factors for OS. Adjuvant chemoRT is an independent prognostic factor for improved OS in AA and concomitant chemoRT should be considered for all clinically suitable patients who have undergone surgery for the disease.

Adjuvant temozolomide-based chemoradiotherapy versus radiotherapy alone in patients with WHO III astrocytoma: The Mainz experience

BACKGROUND

It is currently unclear whether adjuvant therapy for WHO grade III anaplastic astrocytomas (AA) should be carried out as combined chemoradiotherapy with temozolomide (TMZ)--analogous to the approach for glioblastoma multiforme--or as radiotherapy (RT) alone.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

A retrospective analysis of data from 90 patients with AA, who were treated between November 1997 and February 2014. Assessment of overall (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) was performed according to treatment categories: (1) 50%, RT + TMZ according to protocol, (2) 11%, RT + TMZ with dose reduction, (3) 26%, RT alone, and (4) 13%, individualized, primarily palliative therapy. No dose reduction was necessary in the RT alone group.

RESULTS

Median OS was 85, 69, and 43 months for treatment categories 1/2, 3, and 4, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant. PFS was 35, 29, 48, and 33 months for categories 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively; again without significant differences between categories. In a subgroup of 39 patients with known IDH1 R132H status, the presence of this mutation correlated with significantly longer OS (p = 0.01) and PFS (p = 0.002). Complete or partial tumor resection and younger age also correlated with a significantly better prognosis, and this influence persisted in multivariate analysis. In the IDH1 R132H subgroup analysis, only this marker retained an independent prognostic value.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

A general superiority of combined chemoradiotherapy compared to RT alone could not be demonstrated. Biomarkers for predicting the benefits of combination therapy using RT and TMZ are needed for patients with AA.

Limited advances in therapy of glioblastoma trigger re-consideration of research policy

Glioblastoma (GB - WHO grade IV) is the most frequent and lethal primary brain tumour with median overall survival of 7-15 months after diagnosis. As in other cancer research areas, an overwhelming amount of pre-clinical research acquisitions in the GB field have not been translated to patients' benefit, potentially due to inappropriate treatment schedules and/or trial designs in the clinical setting. The recent failure of promising anti-VEGF bevacizumab to improve GB patients' overall survival recapitulates this sense of frustration. The following measures are proposed.

Anaplastic astrocytomas: survival and prognostic factors in a surgical series

BACKGROUND

To study patient characteristics, prognostic factors and overall survival (OS) in a consecutive, surgical series of WHO grade III anaplastic astrocytomas (AA).

METHODS

Patients were identified from a prospective tumor database at Oslo University Hospital, Norway, and patients undergoing surgery for an AA from 2005-2012 were included. Patients' medical charts were retrospectively reviewed for data collection.

RESULTS

A total of 99 adult patients with histologically verified AA were included. Median age was 52 years (20-81). Biopsy was conducted in 33 % and resection in 67 %. Adjuvant treatment with radiation therapy + temozolomide or radiation therapy only was given in 63 % and 26 %, respectively. The thirty-day mortality rate was 3 %. Median OS was 19 months (95 % CI 11-27 months). Age ≥ 65 years, KPS < 70, biopsy as opposed to resection, and no adjuvant treatment were confirmed negative prognostic factors in multivariate analysis. For patients undergoing resection, presence of postoperative contrast-enhanced tumor, not volume of residual tumor, had significant impact on OS in adjusted analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

Median OS following surgery was 19 months, though much variable outcome was observed among subgroups of AA (95 % CI 11-27 months). Age ≥65 years, KPS < 70, biopsy as opposed to resection, and no adjuvant treatment were confirmed negative prognostic factors for OS.