Involvement of subventricular zone shortened the survival of pediatric glioblastoma

PURPOSE Glioblastoma involved with subventricular zone (SVZ) predicted a worse outcome in adult, but we know less about it based on children population due to the rarity of pediatric glioblastoma (pGBM). We performed this study to probe into the clinical and prognostic features of glioblastoma involved with SVZ in children. METHODS We selected thirty-one patients diagnosed with pediatric supratentorial glioblastoma at our department between January 2015 and January 2020. Clinical data and prognostic results were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS Involvement of SVZ was associated with larger tumor volume (p = 0.007), lower edema index (EI) (p = 0.010), passive adjuvant therapy (p = 0.029), worse progression-free survival (PFS) (p = 0.001) and overall survival (OS) (p < 0.001), it didn’t correlate to age, sex, preoperative KPS, extent of resection (EOR), tumor side, Ki-67, expression of P53 and ATRX and mutation of IDH1 and IDH2 genes. Independent of EOR and adjuvant therapies, involvement of SVZ was a prognostic factor of PFS and OS in pGBM. CONCLUSION Involvement of SVZ was an independent prognostic factor of PFS and OS in pGBM, and it associated with large volume, mild edema and passive adjuvant therapy. More research should be developed to optimize the treatment strategy of pGBM involved with SVZ.

PD-L1 Expression Correlated with p53 Expression in Pediatric Glioblastoma Multiforme

High-grade gliomas are infrequent in the pediatric population compared to adults, nevertheless, mortality and morbidity caused by malignant gliomas in this group of patients remain significant. PD-L1 and PD-1 Immune checkpoints (IC) molecules maintain immunological balance between activation and suppression. Eighteen patients with a histopathological diagnosis of pediatric glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, WHO IV) were studied. In total, PD-L1 expression was detected in 8 patients (44%). The molecular aspect of IC and immunotherapy targeted on PD-1/PD-L1 axis in pediatric population may be a promising adjuvant therapy in pediatric glioblastoma multiform treatment, however, this subject requires further investigation.