Journal of neuro-oncology
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2013
ReviewDistant metastases in meningioma: an underestimated problem.
Meningioma is a common intracranial neoplasm derived from meningothelial cells. Meningiomas are associated with a benign clinical course. However, malignant behaviour such as metastatic disease has been also described. ⋯ In 18.3 % clinical signs were missing. In our review 31.3 % of metastatic meningiomas were found to be clinically silent. The prevalence of metastases in meningioma may be underreported.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2013
ReviewBiogenesis of extracellular vesicles (EV): exosomes, microvesicles, retrovirus-like vesicles, and apoptotic bodies.
Recent studies suggest both normal and cancerous cells secrete vesicles into the extracellular space. These extracellular vesicles (EVs) contain materials that mirror the genetic and proteomic content of the secreting cell. ⋯ This article aims to review the biologic processes that give rise to various types of EVs, including exosomes, microvesicles, retrovirus like particles, and apoptotic bodies. Clinical pertinence of these EVs to neuro-oncology will also be discussed.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2013
The effect of tumor subtype on the time from primary diagnosis to development of brain metastases and survival in patients with breast cancer.
Our group has previously published the Diagnosis-Specific Graded Prognostic Assessment (GPA) showing the prognostic factors associated with survival in patients with brain metastases (BM). The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship of breast cancer subtype to the time interval from primary diagnosis (PD) to development of BM (TPDBM), number of BM at initial BM presentation and survival. We analyzed our previously described multi-institutional retrospective database of 865 breast cancer patients treated for newly-diagnosed BM from 1993 to 2010. ⋯ Although TPDBM is not an independent prognostic factor for survival (and thus not part of the Breast-GPA), the TPDBM does correlate with tumor subtype but does not correlate with the number of BM. Patients with Basal and HER2 tumor subtypes have short TPDBM. Prospective studies are needed to determine if screening brain MRIs are indicated in patients with Basal or HER2 subtypes.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2013
Treatment of brainstem metastases with gamma-knife radiosurgery.
The aim was to investigate the efficacy and safety of gamma-knife stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for treating brainstem metastases. The cases of 44 patients who underwent SRS as treatment for 46 brainstem metastases were retrospectively evaluated. The median age was 57 years (range 42-82 years) and the median Karnofsky performance score (KPS) was 80 (range 60-90). ⋯ Basic score for brain metastases class I and recursive partitioning analysis classification were associated with better prognosis. Peri-tumoral changes were detected radiologically at 2 (4 %) of the metastatic lesion sites but neither of these patients exhibited symptoms. Gamma-knife radiosurgery is effective for treating brainstem metastases without a higher risk for radiation necrosis.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · Apr 2013
Comparative StudyThe value of temozolomide in combination with radiotherapy during standard treatment for newly diagnosed glioblastoma.
The current best standard care for glioblastoma still has limitations and unsatisfactory outcomes in patients with an unmethylated O-6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase (MGMT) promoter. Whether the effects of temozolomide are primarily due to its concomitant use with radiotherapy or are also mediated by their independent use in the adjuvant phase remain unclear. To validate the concomitant use of temozolomide in the standard protocol, we compared the overall survival of two prospective patient groups: one treated with radiotherapy alone followed by adjuvant temozolomide (RT → TMZ group) and the other treated with concomitant radiotherapy and temozolomide followed by adjuvant temozolomide (CCRT-TMZ group). ⋯ However, the OS and PFS did not differ between the CCRT-TMZ and the RT → TMZ groups in the patients without MGMT promoter methylation. Although this data is from a retrospective analysis using small number of patients, the study might indicate that concomitant use of temozolomide with radiotherapy is a crucial step in the standard treatment for glioblastoma patients with MGMT promoter methylation. And the use of temozolomide, either concurrently or by adjuvant after radiotherapy, remains a questionable value for those with an unmethylated MGMT promoter.