Association of proliferative activity and size in acoustic neuroma: implications for timing of surgery

2003 ◽  
Vol 98 (4) ◽  
pp. 807-811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anan Bedavanija ◽  
Jürgen Brieger ◽  
Hans-Anton Lehr ◽  
Jan Maurer ◽  
Wolf J. Mann

Object. Acoustic neuroma is the most frequent benign tumor of the cerebellopontine angle, and surgery is still the most common form of treatment. To gain better insight into the dysregulated mechanisms causing growth of acoustic neuroma, the authors studied the proliferative activity of 34 consecutive samples by analyzing immunohistochemical staining with Ki-67 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and apoptosis based on the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase—mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling. Data from these analyses were correlated with clinical parameters (that is, tumor size, duration of symptoms, and patient age). Methods. Apoptotic cells were found in none of the tumors. Proliferation measured on staining with Ki-67 and PCNA correlated with tumor size, but not with patient age or duration of symptoms. The authors demonstrated that tumors 18 mm or smaller in diameter have lower proliferation indices and growth rates, compared with tumors larger than 18 mm with high proliferative indices and growth rates. Additionally, they observed that these more aggressive, larger tumors occur mostly in patients younger than 50 years of age. Conclusions. Patients with tumors larger than 18 mm in diameter and who are younger than 50 years of age sustain an enhanced risk for fast-growing tumors because of these lesions' enhanced proliferative activity. For these patients the authors recommend active therapy.

2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael E. Baser ◽  
Erini V. Makariou ◽  
Dilys M. Parry

Object. The results of two longitudinal studies of growth rates of vestibular schwannomas (VSs) in patients with neurofibromatosis Type 2 (NF2) differ as to whether VS growth rates decrease or increase with increasing patient age. The authors undertook this study to assess the relationship between VS growth rates and patient age and type of constitutional NF2 mutation; they also examined variability in VS growth rates among multiple patients in families with NF2. Methods. Gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance images obtained in 18 patients with inherited NF2 from 11 unrelated families were retrospectively analyzed. The patients had been observed for a median of 4 years. Volumes of the VSs were measured using a two-component box model (intrameatal and extrameatal parts measured separately). Single-strand conformation polymorphism analysis and Southern blot analysis were used to identify constitutional NF2 mutations. Growth rates of the VSs were highly variable, but tended to decrease with increasing patient age both at onset of signs or symptoms of NF2 (r2 = 0.35, p = 0.026) and at diagnosis (r2 = 0.33, p = 0.012). The VS growth rates did not vary significantly with the type of constitutional NF2 mutation or the number of non-VS cerebral or spinal tumors. The VS growth rates were highly variable within families and did not correspond to clinical indices of NF2 disease severity, such as patient age at symptom onset and the number of non-VS cerebral and spinal tumors. Conclusions. The growth rates of VSs in patients with NF2 are highly variable, but tend to decrease with increasing patient age. Clinical treatment of multiple patients in families with NF2 cannot be based on the expectations of similar VS growth rates, even when other clinical aspects of disease severity are similar.


2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 922-926 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen L. Nutik ◽  
Michael J. Babb

Object. This study was undertaken to analyze factors associated with the size of unilateral vestibular schwannomas (VSs). Methods. A retrospective analysis of an unselected and sequential series of 433 patients with unilateral VSs was conducted. Tumor size was defined by the largest dimension of the tumor in the cerebellopontine angle, and the size was tested for a relationship with patient age and sex. In a subgroup of 231 patients in whom data were available, tumor size was also tested for a relationship with tumor cysts or the absence of an internal auditory canal (IAC) component. Some patients underwent a period of surveillance with serial imaging studies to monitor for tumor growth. Data from these patients, excluding those with cystic tumors, were analyzed to see if tumor growth was related to patient age, sex, or tumor size. Conclusions. Larger tumors were found in younger patients, in females, in the subgroup of cystic tumors, and in patients in whom there was no tumor component in the IAC. The probable explanations for these larger tumors are a faster growth rate and/or a delay in symptom onset. When untreated tumors are managed with observation, measurable growth is more often seen in larger tumors, although smaller tumors have a faster relative growth rate than larger ones.


2001 ◽  
Vol 94 (2) ◽  
pp. 217-223 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey W. Brennan ◽  
David W. Rowed ◽  
Julian M. Nedzelski ◽  
Joseph M. Chen

Object. The aims of this study were to review the incidence of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage complicating the removal of acoustic neuroma and to identify factors that influence its occurrence and treatment. Methods. Prospective information on consecutive patients who underwent operation for acoustic neuroma was supplemented by a retrospective review of the medical records in which patients with CSF leaks complicating tumor removal were identified. This paper represents a continuation of a previously published series and thus compiles the authors' continuous experience over the last 24 years of practice. In 624 cases of acoustic neuroma the authors observed an overall incidence of 10.7% for CSF leak. The rate of leakage was significantly lower in the last 9 years compared with the first 15, most likely because of the abandonment of the combined translabyrinthine (TL)—middle fossa exposure. There was no difference in the leakage rate between TL and retrosigmoid (RS) approaches, although there were differences in the site of the leak (wound leaks occurred more frequently after a TL and otorrhea after an RS approach, respectively). Tumor size (maximum extracanalicular diameter) had a significant effect on the leakage rate overall and for RS but not for TL procedures. The majority of leaks ceased with nonsurgical treatments (18% with expectant management and 49% with lumbar CSF drainage). However, TL leaks (especially rhinorrhea) required surgical repair significantly more often than RS leaks. This has not been reported previously. Conclusions. The rate of CSF leakage after TL and RS procedures has remained stable. Factors influencing its occurrence include tumor size but not surgical approach. The TL-related leaks had a significantly higher surgical repair rate than RS-related leaks, an additional factor to consider when choosing an approach. The problem of CSF leakage becomes increasingly important as nonsurgical treatments for acoustic neuroma are developed.


2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 651-659 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kenji Tada ◽  
Shoji Shiraishi ◽  
Takanori Kamiryo ◽  
Hideo Nakamura ◽  
Hirofumi Hirano ◽  
...  

Object. The most frequent genetic abnormality in human malignant gliomas is loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 10. Candidate genes on chromosome 10 that are associated with the prognosis of patients with anaplastic astrocytoma (AA) and glioblastoma (GBM) were evaluated. Methods. The authors used 12 fluorescent microsatellite markers on both arms of chromosome 10 to study LOH in 108 primary astrocytic tumors. The LOH on chromosome 10 was observed in 11 (32%) of 34 AAs and 34 (56%) of 61 GBMs. No LOH was detected in 13 low-grade gliomas. Loss of heterozygosity was not detected in any AA in the seven patients younger than 35 years, but it was discovered in 41% of the patients older than 35 years. The prognostic significance of LOH at each locus was evaluated in 89 patients older than 15 years; 33 (37%) had supratentorial AAs and 56 (63%) had supratentorial GBMs. The Cox proportional hazards model, adjusted for patient age at surgery, the preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale score, and the extent of surgical resection revealed that LOH on marker D10S209 near the FGFR2 and DMBT1 genes was significantly associated with shorter survival in patients with AA. The LOH on markers D10S215 and D10S541, which contain the PTEN/MMAC1 gene between them, was significantly associated with shorter survival in patients with GBM. Conclusions. In the present study it is found that LOH on chromosome 10 is an age-dependent event for patients with AAs and that LOH on marker D10S209 near the FGFR2 and DMBT1 loci is a significantly unfavorable prognostic factor. It is also reported that LOH on the PTEN/MMAC1 gene is a significantly unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with GBM.


2002 ◽  
Vol 96 (1) ◽  
pp. 64-70 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bryce Weir ◽  
Lew Disney ◽  
Theodore Karrison

Object. The authors explore the risk of rupture in aneurysms categorized by size. Methods. A computerized database of 945 patients with aneurysms treated between 1967 and 1987 was retrospectively established. All available clinical and radiological studies were abstracted. Because of the recent interest in the size of intracranial aneurysms in relation to their likelihood of rupture, the database was searched with respect to this parameter. In 390 patients representing 41% of all cases, aneurysms were measured by neuroradiologists at the time of diagnosis. In 78% of the 945 patients there was only one aneurysm, and of the 507 aneurysms that were measured, 60% were solitary. Of all patients, 86% had ruptured aneurysms. The average age of all patients was 47 years, and for those with ruptured aneurysms it was 46 years. Of the ruptured aneurysms, 77% were 10 mm or smaller, compared with 85% of the unruptured aneurysms. It was found that 40.3% of the ruptured aneurysms were on the anterior cerebral artery or anterior communicating artery, compared with 13% of the unruptured aneurysms. None of the cavernous internal carotid artery (ICA) aneurysms were ruptured and 65% of the ophthalmic artery (OphA) aneurysms were. Of the unruptured aneurysms, 15% were located in the cavernous ICA or the OphA. Of the ruptured aneurysms, 29% were on the middle cerebral artery, compared with 36% of the unruptured aneurysms. The mean size of ruptured and unruptured aneurysms showed no statistically significant increase with patient age, although the difference in size between the ruptured and unruptured aneurysms decreased with increasing age. The mean size of all ruptured aneurysms (10.8 mm) was significantly larger than the mean size of all unruptured aneurysms (7.8 mm, p < 0.001); the median sizes were 10 mm and 5 mm, respectively. The size of ruptured aneurysms in patients who died in the hospital was significantly larger than those in the patients who survived (12 mm compared with 9.9 mm, p = 0.004). Symptomatic unruptured aneurysms were significantly larger than incidental unruptured aneurysms (14.6 mm compared with 6.9 mm, p = 0.032), which were, in turn, larger than aneurysms that were unruptured and part of a multiple aneurysm constellation. Both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms were larger in male than in female patients, but not significantly. Conclusions. Site and patient age, as well as lesion size, may affect the chance of rupture.


1993 ◽  
Vol 79 (6) ◽  
pp. 845-852 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alain Pierre-Kahn ◽  
Jean-François Hirsch ◽  
Mathieu Vinchon ◽  
Christine Payan ◽  
Christian Sainte-Rose ◽  
...  

A study was made of 75 children treated between 1970 and 1990, with partial, subtotal, or total removal of three intrinsic and 72 exophytic or surface brain-stem tumors. In all cases, the goal of surgery was to remove as much tumor as possible. Extent of removal was defined according to data obtained from postoperative computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, and was considered partial when only a small amount of tumor was removed, subtotal when a few cubic millimeters of tumor was left, and total when no residual tumor was seen on postoperative radiological investigations. An ultrasonic aspirator was used for the 43 most recent operations. Among tumor removals without the aspirator, 24 (75%) were partial, eight (25%) subtotal, and none total; with the use of the aspirator, the number of partial removals decreased to 44.5% while that of subtotal and total removals increased to 32% and 23.5%, respectively. There were 69 gliomas (92%) and 47 benign tumors (62.6%). Forty-nine patients were irradiated postoperatively, and 14 of the 23 patients whose benign tumors were removed totally or subtotally did not undergo irradiation. This study showed that: 1) the overall prognosis of patients with malignant tumors was poor and was not improved by surgery; 2) the survival rate of those with benign tumors was significantly (p < 0.01) lower after partial removal than after total or subtotal removal (52% and 94%, respectively, at 5 years); 3) comparison of means and proportions (Student's and chi-squared tests) between benign and malignant tumors showed a significant difference relating to patient age (p < 0.03), peritumoral hypodensity (p < 0.001), and preoperative duration of symptoms (p < 0.001); 4) stepwise logistic regression analysis confirmed that two of these three variables were related to malignancy: namely, patient age at surgery (p < 0.03) and presence of peritumoral hypodensity (p < 0.001); and 5) routine postoperative irradiation was contraindicated after total or subtotal removal of benign tumors.


1984 ◽  
Vol 61 (4) ◽  
pp. 642-648 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob Rosenstein ◽  
Lindsay Symon

✓ Visual outcome in 101 consecutive cases of suprasellar meningioma treated over a 35-year period has been examined. Preoperative visual loss was evaluated using a scoring system that takes both visual acuity and visual fields into account. In this way a percentage visual loss was calculated for each patient before and after surgery. The effects on visual outcome of age, preoperative visual loss, duration of visual symptoms, tumor size, status of the optic disc, and binocular versus monocular involvement was examined. For the group as a whole, vision improved in 63 patients, was unchanged in 12 patients, and was worse in 24 patients. Prognosis was favorably affected by a mean duration of symptoms of less than 2 years, a tumor size of less than 3 cm, a preoperative visual loss of less than 50%, and the presence of normal optic discs on funduscopic examination. Age had some effect on prognosis, but the presence of binocular or monocular involvement had no effect.


2000 ◽  
Vol 93 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alois A. Obwegeser ◽  
Ryan J. Uitti ◽  
John A. Lucas ◽  
Robert J. Witte ◽  
Margaret F. Turk ◽  
...  

Object. The authors studied neuropsychological performance following microelectrode-guided posteroventral pallidotomy in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and evaluated correlations with presurgical and surgical factors.Methods. Neuropsychological changes 3 months (43 patients) and 12 months (27 patients) after microelectrode-guided pallidotomy for PD are reported in a series of 44 consecutive patients with the disease, who improved neurologically, as measured by the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) in both the “off” (p < 0.001) and best “on” (p < 0.001) states.Findings of the vocabulary subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised (p < 0.01), Letter Fluency (p < 0.001), Verbal Fluency for semantic categories (p < 0.001), and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (p < 0.01) showed a significant decline in neuropsychological performance in patients 3 months after undergoing left-sided pallidotomy. Impairment in the language domain (semantic fluency) persisted at the 12-month follow-up examination (p < 0.01). Visual memory improved after right-sided pallidotomies (p < 0.01 after 3 months), with a nonsignificant trend toward persistent improvement 1 year postsurgery (p < 0.02 after 12 months). Preoperative semantic fluency was influenced by patient age (p < 0.001) and by the width of the third ventricle (p < 0.05), as measured by magnetic resonance imaging.A regression model revealed that semantic fluency 3 months postoperatively was significantly affected by the baseline score (p < 0.001), side of surgery (p < 0.001), handedness (p < 0.01), and patient age (p < 0.05). However, postoperative lesion volume, lesion location, number of tracks, number of lesions, distance from anatomical landmarks, or UPDRS score did not significantly contribute to neuropsychological outcome.Conclusions. Neuropsychological changes in a cohort of patients with PD who underwent pallidotomy and experienced excellent clinical benefits and minimum postoperative complications, emphasize the importance of neuropsychological examinations and further investigation of predictive factors.


2001 ◽  
Vol 95 (6) ◽  
pp. 933-943 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benedicto O. Colli ◽  
Ossama Al-Mefty

Object. Chordomas are rare tumors that arise from the remnants of the notochord. Because of their deep location, local infiltrative nature, and involvement of surrounding bone, treatment of chordomas is a challenge. In this study the authors analyze the data and prognostic factors obtained during the follow-up period (range 1–150 months, median 38 months) in 53 patients with craniocervical junction chordomas and 10 patients with chondrosarcomas. Methods. Several surgical approaches were used, and some tumor excisions required staged procedures. Survival was calculated according the Kaplan—Meier method. Statistical analysis was performed using Fisher exact, log rank and Kruskal—Wallis tests. Radical/subtotal resection was achieved in 77.8% of the patients. The mortality rate during the follow-up period was 14.3%. In patients harboring chondrosarcoma better 5-year recurrence-free survival (RFS) rates were demonstrated than in those with chordoma (100% and 50.7%, respectively). Histological patterns (typical or chondroid chordomas) and patient age at onset of symptoms had no effect on the RFS rates. Radical/subtotal resections were associated with better RFS rates than partial resection. Adjuvant proton-beam therapy was shown to increase the RFS rates compared with conventional radiotherapy (90.9% and 19.4%, respectively, at 4 years posttreatment). Karyotypically abnormal tumors were associated with the worst RFS rates compared with karyotypically normal lesions (44.5% and 90.3%, respectively, at 3 years). Cases of cranial nerve palsy followed by those with cerebrospinal fluid leakages were the most frequent postoperative complications. Permanent postoperative neurological deficit was observed in 28.6% of the patients. Conclusions. A better prognosis was observed in patients with chondrosarcoma compared with those harboring chordoma. Histological pattern and patient age at symptom onset were not factors that influenced prognosis in cases of chordoma. Extensive resection and possibly adjuvant proton-beam therapy provided better prognoses for these patients.


1995 ◽  
Vol 105 (7) ◽  
pp. 701-707 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. P. P. M. Van Leeuwen ◽  
C. W. R. J. Cremers ◽  
N. P. M. W. Thewissen ◽  
B. S. Harhangi ◽  
E. Meijer

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