Journal of neuro-oncology
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2012
ReviewEmerging techniques in the minimally invasive treatment and management of thoracic spine tumors.
Over the past decade, the development and refinement of minimally invasive spine surgery techniques has lead to procedures with the potential to minimize iatrogenic and post-operative sequelae that may occur during the surgical treatment of various pathologies. In a similar manner, parallel advances in other current treatment technologies have led to the development of other minimally invasive treatments of spinal malignancies. These advances include percutaneous techniques for vertebral reconstruction, including vertebroplasty and kyphoplasty, the development of safe and effective spinal radiosurgery, and minimal-access spinal surgical procedures that allow surgeons to safely decompress and reconstruct the anterior spinal column. ⋯ The author's describe how these emerging treatment options are significantly expanding the options open to clinicians in the treatment of thoracic spinal column malignancies. Specific illustrative case examples are provided. The development of these techniques has the potential to improve clinical outcomes, limit surgical morbidity, and also improve the safety and efficiency of treatment pathways.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2012
The superiority of conservative resection and adjuvant radiation for craniopharyngiomas.
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the roles of resection extent and adjuvant radiation in the treatment of craniopharyngiomas. We reviewed the records of 122 patients ages 11-52 years who received primary treatment for craniopharyngioma between 1980 and 2009 at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Primary endpoints were progression free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). ⋯ STR was associated with significantly shortened OS compared to STR + RT (p = 0.050) and trended to shorter OS compared to GTR (p = 0.066). GTR was associated with significantly greater risk of developing DI (56.3 vs. 13.3% with STR + XRT, p < 0.001) and panhypopituitarism (54.8 vs. 26.7% with STR + XRT, p = 0.014). In conclusion, for patients with craniopharyngioma, STR + RT may provide superior clinical outcome, achieving better disease control than STR and limiting side effects associated with aggressive surgical resection.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2012
Characterization and outcomes of optic nerve gliomas: a population-based analysis.
Optic nerve gliomas (ONG) are rare astrocytic neoplasms. A paucity of literature exists on the epidemiology and outcomes of ONG. Here, we present a series of 445 cases of ONG obtained from the Surveillance, epidemiology and end results (SEER) database. ⋯ Age at diagnosis, receipt of radiation therapy, and extent of surgical resection were not significantly correlated with overall survival. In conclusion, ONG are rare tumors seen predominantly in children. The overall prognosis of high-grade tumors remains poor in all age groups despite multi-modality treatment.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2012
Dose dense 1 week on/1 week off temozolomide in recurrent glioma: a retrospective study.
Alternative temozolomide regimens have been proposed to overcome O(6)-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase mediated resistance. We investigated the efficacy and tolerability of 1 week on/1 week off temozolomide (ddTMZ) regimen in a cohort of patients treated with ddTMZ between 2005 and 2011 for the progression of a glioblastoma during or after chemo-radiation with temozolomide or a recurrence of another type of glioma after radiotherapy and at least one line of chemotherapy. Patients received ddTMZ at 100-150 mg/m(2)/d (days 1-7 and 15-21 in cycles of 28-days). ⋯ Four out of the 12 evaluable patients with a recurrent WHO grade 2 or 3 oligodendroglioma or oligo-astrocytoma with combined 1p and 19q loss had an objective response; PFS-6 in these patients was 62%. This study indicates that ddTMZ is safe and effective in recurrent glioma, despite previous temozolomide and/or nitrosourea chemotherapy. Our data do not suggest superior efficacy of this schedule as compared to the standard day 1-5 every 4 weeks schedule.
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Journal of neuro-oncology · May 2012
Lexical access speed is significantly correlated with the return to professional activities after awake surgery for low-grade gliomas.
Awake surgery with intraoperative brain mapping is highly recommended for patients with diffuse low-grade gliomas in language areas, to maximise the extent of resection while preserving the integrity of functional networks and thus quality of life. The picture-naming test "DO.80" is the gold standard for language assessment before, during, and after surgery. Cognitive functioning is correlated with quality of life, itself linked with return to work. ⋯ There were no differences between the two groups regarding other measures of cognition. Assessing naming times, and not only naming accuracy, is essential in the management of low-grade glioma patients, before, during, and after surgery, to preserve their quality of life by resuming their previous professional activity. Our results have fundamental implications concerning the comprehension of language processing and its relationship with cognitive functioning.