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Clinical Neurology and Neurosurgery Jun 2023The clinical benefit and the safety of fractionated stereotactic re-irradiation in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma are still disputed. Thus, we conducted a... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
The clinical benefit and the safety of fractionated stereotactic re-irradiation in treating patients with recurrent glioblastoma are still disputed. Thus, we conducted a meta-analysis to explore the clinical benefit and the safety of fractionated stereotactic re-irradiation for patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
We retrieved the eligible papers published up to Nov. 2022 through PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Clinical Trials. Gov, and other biomedical databases and evaluated the quality of the studies by Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. The random effect model was used to pool 12-month overall survival rates, 12-month progression-free survival rates, and radiational necrosis risk, and an interaction test was used to compare defined subgroups.
RESULTS
We identified eight eligible studies, including 307 patients. The overall survival rate of 12 months was 33.1 % (95 % CI 26.0 %-40.9 %), and the progression-free survival rate of 12 months was 13.4 % (95 % CI 8.0 %-21.3 %). Radiation necrosis was low in incidence in the included studies. Additionally, the subgroup analysis demonstrated that factors such as age, time interval (from the first radiation to the re-irradiation), total dose, and single dose, impacted the survival rate.
CONCLUSION
Fractionated stereotactic re-irradiation produces relative clinical benefit and safety for patients with recurrent glioblastoma.
Topics: Humans; Glioblastoma; Re-Irradiation; Brain Neoplasms; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local; Radiosurgery; Necrosis
PubMed: 37105068
DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2023.107728 -
Nutrients Feb 2022People consume nitrates, nitrites, nitrosamines, and NOCs compounds primarily through processed food. Many studies have yielded inconclusive results regarding the... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis Review
BACKGROUND
People consume nitrates, nitrites, nitrosamines, and NOCs compounds primarily through processed food. Many studies have yielded inconclusive results regarding the association between cancer and dietary intakes of nitrates and nitrites. This study aimed to quantify these associations across the reported literature thus far.
METHODS
We performed a systematic review following PRISMA and MOOSE guidelines. A literature search was performed using Web of Science, Embase, PubMed, the Cochrane library, and google scholar up to January 2020. STATA version 12.0 was used to conduct meta-regression and a two-stage meta-analysis.
RESULTS
A total of 41 articles with 13 different cancer sites were used for analysis. Of these 13 cancer types/sites, meta-regression analysis showed that bladder and stomach cancer risk was greater, and that pancreatic cancer risk was lower with increasing nitrite intakes. Kidney and bladder cancer risk were both lower with increasing nitrate intakes. When comparing highest to lowest (reference) categories of intake, meta-analysis of studies showed that high nitrate intake was associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer (OR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.02, 1.77). When pooling all intake categories and comparing against the lowest (reference) category, higher nitrite intake was associated with an increased risk of glioma (OR = 1.12, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.22). No other associations between cancer risk and dietary intakes of nitrates or nitrites were observed.
CONCLUSION
This study showed varied associations between site-specific cancer risks and dietary intakes of nitrate and nitrite. Glioma, bladder, and stomach cancer risks were higher and pancreatic cancer risk was lower with higher nitrite intakes, and thyroid cancer risk was higher and kidney cancer risk lower with higher nitrate intakes. These data suggest type- and site-specific effects of cancer risk, including protective effects, from dietary intakes of nitrate and nitrite.
Topics: Diet; Glioma; Humans; Nitrates; Nitrites; Risk
PubMed: 35277025
DOI: 10.3390/nu14030666 -
Neurosurgery Mar 2023Many patients with glioma and their caregivers seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods to comfort themselves, cope with cancer medication side effects,...
BACKGROUND
Many patients with glioma and their caregivers seek complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) methods to comfort themselves, cope with cancer medication side effects, and feel they are taking control of their disease.
OBJECTIVE
To summarize existing evidence on safety and efficacy of CAM treatments for gliomas.
METHODS
We performed an exhaustive electronic literature search for in vitro, animal, and clinical studies (English language, all years available) on CAM modalities for gliomas.
RESULTS
A total of 378 studies (315 unique articles) were analyzed. Distribution was as follows: in vitro-274 (73%), animal-77 (20%), and clinical-26 (7%, 2491 patients). Most studies were conducted in China (n = 135, 43%), followed by the United States (n = 62, 20%) and Spain (n = 17, 5%-6%). Resveratrol was the most commonly investigated CAM therapy in the in vitro (n = 62) and in vivo (n = 17) setting. Safety/toxicity was examined in 21% of in vitro (cytotoxic at same dose in 48%), 39% of in vivo (no evidence of organ toxicity), and 50% of clinical studies (adverse events reported in 6). Cytotoxicity was the most frequent end point among in vitro (60%) and animal studies (56%), followed by synergistic action with chemotherapy and inhibition of invasiveness and migration. Finally, 7 of 26 studies found no clinical effect, whereas 5 reported possible impact on progression-free or overall survival, 3 demonstrated decrease or arrest of tumor progression, and 2 showed positive impact on symptoms and quality of life.
CONCLUSION
These findings will hopefully educate providers and patients and stimulate further research in the field of CAM therapy for gliomas.
Topics: United States; Humans; Quality of Life; Complementary Therapies; Glioma; Antineoplastic Agents; China
PubMed: 36650046
DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002236 -
Annals of Nuclear Medicine Feb 2020F-fluciclovine (F-FACBC) is a radiotracer already studied for prostate cancer, and its potential role in brain tumors (such as glioma) is not yet well investigated...
F-fluciclovine (F-FACBC) is a radiotracer already studied for prostate cancer, and its potential role in brain tumors (such as glioma) is not yet well investigated despite promising results. The aim of this review is to evaluate the possible diagnostic role of F-FACBC PET/CT or PET/MRI in patients with gliomas and glioblastomas. A comprehensive literature search of the PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Embase, and Cochrane library databases was conducted to find the relevant published articles about the diagnostic performance of FACBC PET/CT or PET/MRI in patients affected by glioma and/or glioblastoma. Seven papers were included in the systematic review. From the analyses of the selected studies, the following main findings were obtained: glioma and glioblastoma are FACBC-avid tumors with a detection rate of about 100%; FACBC PET has high-diagnostic accuracy in defining tumor extent, volumes, and satellite lesions better than MR; compared to methionine, FACBC has similar accuracy but better tumor-to-background contrast; FACBC uptake may help to discriminate between low-grade and high-grade glioma. Radiolabelled fluciclovine (F-FACBC) imaging seems to be useful in analyzing glioma/glioblastoma. Further studies enrolling a wider population are needed to clarify the real clinical and diagnostic role of F-FACBC in this setting and its possible position in the diagnostic flowchart.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Brain Neoplasms; Carboxylic Acids; Cyclobutanes; Female; Glioblastoma; Glioma; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Middle Aged; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; Prognosis; Prospective Studies; Radiopharmaceuticals; Reproducibility of Results; Sensitivity and Specificity
PubMed: 31773466
DOI: 10.1007/s12149-019-01426-w -
Acta Neurochirurgica Feb 2020Fluorescence in the ventricular wall or the ependyma during fluorescence-guided resection (FGR) of malignant glioma is commonly observed when malignant gliomas...
BACKGROUND
Fluorescence in the ventricular wall or the ependyma during fluorescence-guided resection (FGR) of malignant glioma is commonly observed when malignant gliomas infiltrate the ventricles. However, the underlying pathophysiology and clinical importance are largely unknown but may play a role in deciding whether to continue resection into the ventricles or not. Here, we systematically review available data regarding ependymal fluorescence in FGR using five aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) and sodium fluorescein (SF).
METHODS
A literature search on MEDLINE, EMBASE, and WEB OF SCIENCE was performed using the following headings and search operators: ependy* fluorescence AND (5-ALA OR five aminolevulinic acid), ventric* wall fluorescence AND (5-ALA OR five aminolevulinic acid), ependy* fluorescence AND fluorescein, and ventric* wall fluorescence AND fluorescein. Both authors analyzed abstracts independently. Included articles were further reviewed for prevalence of ependymal fluorescence, patterns of fluorescence, and histopathological characteristics of sampled tissues as well as radiological signs of ependymal fluorescence. Results are reported according to the PRISMA statement.
RESULTS
Of 202 records identified, 6 studies were included compiling a total number of 198 patients treated with FGR using 5-ALA. No study on ependymal fluorescence after administration of SF was found. Overall prevalence of ependymal fluorescence was 61.4%. A total of 54.5% of cases were found to be positive for tumor cells. A total of 25.5% of patients with ependymal fluorescence were related to contrast enhancement in ventricular walls.
CONCLUSIONS
The phenomenon of ventricular wall fluorescence in 5-ALA-derived fluorescence-guided resection of malignant glioma is poorly understood and not always may fluorescence represent tumor infiltration. A larger scale prospective sampling study with molecular analyses is currently ongoing and will hopefully provide further insight into pathophysiology and clinical implications of ependymal fluorescence.
Topics: Aminolevulinic Acid; Brain Neoplasms; Ependyma; Fluorescein; Fluorescence; Fluorescent Dyes; Glioma; Humans; Photosensitizing Agents; Surgery, Computer-Assisted
PubMed: 31754847
DOI: 10.1007/s00701-019-04144-4 -
Scientific Reports Aug 2022High-grade gliomas remain the most common primary brain tumour with limited treatments options and early recurrence rates following adjuvant treatments. However,... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
High-grade gliomas remain the most common primary brain tumour with limited treatments options and early recurrence rates following adjuvant treatments. However, differentiating true tumour progression (TTP) from treatment-related effects or pseudoprogression (PsP), may critically influence subsequent management options. Structural MRI is routinely employed to evaluate treatment responses, but misdiagnosis of TTP or PsP may lead to continuation of ineffective or premature cessation of effective treatments, respectively. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses method. Embase, MEDLINE, Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched for methods applied to differentiate PsP and TTP, and studies were selected using pre-specified eligibility criteria. The sensitivity and specificity of included studies were summarised. Three of the identified methods were compared in a separate subgroup meta-analysis. Thirty studies assessing seven distinct neuroimaging methods in 1372 patients were included in the systematic review. The highest performing methods in the subgroup analysis were DWI (AUC = 0.93 [0.91-0.95]) and DSC-MRI (AUC = 0.93 [0.90-0.95]), compared to DCE-MRI (AUC = 0.90 [0.87-0.93]). 18F-fluoroethyltyrosine PET (18F-FET PET) and amide proton transfer-weighted MRI (APTw-MRI) also showed high diagnostic accuracy, but results were based on few low-powered studies. Both DWI and DSC-MRI performed with high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating PsP from TTP. Considering the technical parameters and feasibility of each identified method, the authors suggested that, at present, DSC-MRI technique holds the most clinical potential.
Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Glioma; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Sensitivity and Specificity; Treatment Outcome
PubMed: 35918373
DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16726-x -
Journal of Neuroimaging : Official... Mar 2022Astroblastoma is a rare type of glial tumor, histologically classified into two types with different prognoses: high and low grade. We aimed to investigate the CT and... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Astroblastoma is a rare type of glial tumor, histologically classified into two types with different prognoses: high and low grade. We aimed to investigate the CT and MRI findings of astroblastomas by collecting studies with analyzable neuroimaging data and extracting the imaging features useful for tumor grading.
METHODS
We searched for reports of pathologically proven astroblastomas with analyzable neuroimaging data using PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Sixty-five studies with 71 patients with astroblastomas met the criteria for a systematic review. We added eight patients from our hospital, resulting in a final study cohort of 79 patients. The proportion of high-grade tumors was compared in groups based on the morphology (typical and atypical) using Fisher's exact test.
RESULTS
High- and low-grade tumors were 35/71 (49.3%) and 36/71 (50.7%), respectively. There was a significant difference in the proportion of high-grade tumors based on the tumor morphology (typical morphology: high-grade = 33/58 [56.9%] vs. atypical morphology, 2/13 [15.4%], p = .012). The reviews of neuroimaging findings were performed using the images included in each article. The articles had missing data due to the heterogeneity of the collected studies.
CONCLUSIONS
Detailed neuroimaging features were clarified, including tumor location, margin status, morphology, CT attenuation, MRI signal intensity, and contrast enhancement pattern. The classification of tumor morphology may help predict the tumor's histological grade, contributing to clinical care and future oncologic research.
Topics: Brain Neoplasms; Glioma; Humans; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Neoplasms, Neuroepithelial; Neuroimaging
PubMed: 34816541
DOI: 10.1111/jon.12948 -
Journal of Psychiatric Research Apr 2022The presentation of psychiatric symptoms in pediatric low-grade brain tumors is challenging because this can delay proper diagnosis and treatment. We performed a...
The presentation of psychiatric symptoms in pediatric low-grade brain tumors is challenging because this can delay proper diagnosis and treatment. We performed a systematic review of psychiatric presenting symptoms of low-grade brain tumors in pediatric patients. We searched the PubMed and Web of Science databases of studies published in English from 1977 until 2019 reporting patients aged ≤21 years at the time of tumor diagnosis who exhibited psychiatric/behavioral symptoms before diagnosis of low-grade glioma (LGG), pilocytic astrocytoma (PA), or craniopharyngioma (CP). Our systematic search strategy coupled each tumor type with patient age and presenting symptoms by using different variations of the search terms "childhood" and "psychiatric symptoms" or "behavioral symptoms." We identified six unique articles that met our inclusion criteria in the LGG search, 27 in the PA search, and 32 in the CP search. Six patients were included in the LGG articles (age range, 3-16 years), 75 in the PA articles (age range, 0.5-21 years), and 87 in the CP articles (age range, 0.67-21 years). The most common presenting symptoms included eating disorders (n = 64) and behavioral changes (n = 49). Our findings demonstrate the need to establish clear criteria for neuroimaging indications for pediatric patients exhibiting eating disorders.
Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Brain; Brain Neoplasms; Child; Child, Preschool; Craniopharyngioma; Glioma; Humans; Infant; Pituitary Neoplasms; Young Adult
PubMed: 35149436
DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2022.01.056 -
Frontiers in Oncology 2022Ferroptosis is a regulatory form of iron-dependent cell death caused by the accumulation of lipid-based reactive oxygen species (ROS) and differs from apoptosis,...
Ferroptosis is a regulatory form of iron-dependent cell death caused by the accumulation of lipid-based reactive oxygen species (ROS) and differs from apoptosis, pyroptosis, and necrosis. Especially in neoplastic diseases, the susceptibility of tumor cells to ferroptosis affects prognosis and is associated with complex effects. Gliomas are the most common primary intracranial tumors, accounting for disease in 81% of patients with malignant brain tumors. An increasing number of studies have revealed the particular characteristics of iron metabolism in glioma cells. Therefore, agents that target a wide range of molecules involved in ferroptosis may regulate this process and enhance glioma treatment. Here, we review the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis and summarize the potential therapeutic options for targeting ferroptosis in glioma.
PubMed: 36249003
DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.989896 -
BMC Cancer Nov 2021Malignant glioma cell line models are integral to pre-clinical testing of novel potential therapies. Accurate prediction of likely efficacy in the clinic requires that...
BACKGROUND
Malignant glioma cell line models are integral to pre-clinical testing of novel potential therapies. Accurate prediction of likely efficacy in the clinic requires that these models are reliable and consistent. We assessed this by examining the reporting of experimental conditions and sensitivity to temozolomide in glioma cells lines.
METHODS
We searched Medline and Embase (Jan 1994-Jan 2021) for studies evaluating the effect of temozolomide monotherapy on cell viability of at least one malignant glioma cell line. Key data items included type of cell lines, temozolomide exposure duration in hours (hr), and cell viability measure (IC).
RESULTS
We included 212 studies from 2789 non-duplicate records that reported 248 distinct cell lines. The commonest cell line was U87 (60.4%). Only 10.4% studies used a patient-derived cell line. The proportion of studies not reporting each experimental condition ranged from 8.0-27.4%, including base medium (8.0%), serum supplementation (9.9%) and number of replicates (27.4%). In studies reporting IC, the median value for U87 at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h was 123.9 μM (IQR 75.3-277.7 μM), 223.1 μM (IQR 92.0-590.1 μM) and 230.0 μM (IQR 34.1-650.0 μM), respectively. The median IC at 72 h for patient-derived cell lines was 220 μM (IQR 81.1-800.0 μM).
CONCLUSION
Temozolomide sensitivity reported in comparable studies was not consistent between or within malignant glioma cell lines. Drug discovery science performed on these models cannot reliably inform clinical translation. A consensus model of reporting can maximise reproducibility and consistency among in vitro studies.
Topics: Animals; Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; Bias; Brain Neoplasms; Cell Line, Tumor; Cell Survival; Glioma; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Mice; Temozolomide
PubMed: 34794398
DOI: 10.1186/s12885-021-08972-5