Abstract Background The current treatment of glioblastoma involves resection followed by radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide. Rapid early progression (REP) of tumor in the surgery-to-radiotherapy interval (SRI) has been described using categorical or semi-quantitative assessments and is associated with inferior clinical outcomes. This study seeks to establish and validate a quantitative definition for REP and examine how REP could inform future therapy. Methods Volumes of tumor and resection cavity at 3 time points—preoperative, postoperative and RT-planning (pre-RT)—were contoured among patients who had undergone standard of care. A minimal, but clinically appreciable, threshold for defining REP based on change in tumor volume was established, validated, and subsequently used to assess actionable predictors of REP and its prognostic value. Results An increase of >2 cc in volume or a new satellite tumor between the post-operative to planning MRI was found to be a sensitive, pragmatic, and statistically significant cutoff for REP (P = .002). Actionable predictors such as SRI of 6 weeks and a > 5 cc residual immediate post-operative tumor volume were found to be statistically significant predictors of REP. REP was also found to be a statistically significant prognostic indicator for overall survival (P = .002) and progression-free survival. Conclusion These findings support that an increase in tumor volume between post-operative and pre-RT MRI of >2 cc is the ideal working definition of REP in this clinical setting. Furthermore, REP could serve as a prognostic biomarker to track treatment response. Additionally, 2 actionable predictors of REP, post-op residual tumor volume and SRI, are identified.
Long term outcomes of central neurocytoma in a multi-institutional cohort: The role of radiotherapy and Ki-67.
2089 Background: Central neurocytomas (CNs) are rare, WHO grade 2 brain tumors that can have relatively high recurrence rates following surgical resection. Owing to the rarity of CNs and limited robust data, the optimal use and timing of radiotherapy (RT) remain undefined, particularly in young adults with low mortality. Tumor proliferation index (Ki-67) may also predict CN recurrence rates, but there is no consensus on its utility in clinical practice. The present collaboration between Northwestern University and the Mayo Clinic describes long-term outcomes of CN as it relates to RT timing and Ki-67 level. Methods: Patients established between 1990-2025 with a tissue diagnosis of CN at Northwestern University and the Mayo Clinic were reviewed. Demographic, treatment, and tumor characteristics (histologic/molecular) were recorded. Recurrence free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated according to the Kaplan Meier-method. Results: Fifty-one patients with CN (51% male, 49% female)--with a median age of 26 years and 9.7 years median follow-up--were included. RFS at 2, 5, and 10 years for the cohort was 79%, 65%, and 59% respectively; OS at 10 years for the cohort was 94%, and no deaths were attributed to uncontrolled CN. Subtotal resection (STR) yielded 2- and 5-year RFS of 74% and 65%, while gross total resection (GTR) yielded 2- and 5-year RFS of 90% and 66%. Median Ki-67 of the cohort was 3%; RFS at 2 and 5 years for Ki-67 <3% was 82% and 76%, compared to 76% and 43% for Ki-67 ≥3% (p<0.02). In patients who underwent resection without adjuvant RT (n=35), those with STR had a 2- and 5-year RFS of 61% and 45%, and those with GTR had a 2- and 5- year RFS of 88% and 61%. Additionally, without adjuvant RT, RFS at 2 and 5 years for Ki-67 <3% was 73% and 64% versus 71% and 24% for Ki-67 ≥3%. Among patients without adjuvant RT and Ki-67 ≥3% (n=14), 2-year RFS was 60% after STR and 78% after GTR. Salvage RT after first recurrence (n=16) had a 5-year RFS of 81%, with a median follow-up of 4.1 years. Conclusions: We report one of the largest cohorts of CN with long-term follow-up. STR and/or Ki-67 ≥3% were associated with shorter RFS. Salvage RT at recurrence achieved durable long-term tumor control, and long-term (~10-year) mortality was low. In appropriately selected patients, observation after resection may be a reasonable initial strategy, with RT reserved for salvage. General cohort characteristics (n=51) with Ki-67 (n=39). Variable Number (%) Median Age (years) 26 (range: 5-57) Gender, Male:Female (M/F) 26:25 (51/49) Subtotal Resection 29 (57) Gross Total Resection 22 (43) Adjuvant Radiotherapy 16 (31) Salvage Radiotherapy 16 (31) No Radiotherapy 19 (38) Ki-67 ≥3 21 (56) Ki-67 <3 18 (44)
Cost‐effectiveness of vorasidenib in treatment of isocitrate dehydrogenase–mutated low‐grade glioma
Abstract Background Vorasidenib is Food and Drug Administration‐approved for treatment of grade 2 isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)–mutant gliomas and has demonstrated a benefit in progression‐free survival compared to a placebo. This study assessed the cost‐effectiveness of this treatment strategy compared to standard treatment: observation or chemoradiation (CRT). Methods The authors used an integrated Markov model to compare quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALY) gained and cost‐effectiveness of patients with IDH‐mutated low‐grade glioma (LGG) treated with vorasidenib, observation, or CRT. Outcomes were expressed as incremental cost‐effectiveness ratios (ICERs) per QALY gained. Treatment is considered cost‐effective if it meets the commonly accepted willingness‐to‐pay threshold of $100,000 per QALY gained. Results Based on model parameters, vorasidenib demonstrated an ICER of $356,756 per QALY when compared to CRT. When compared to observation, vorasidenib demonstrated an improved ICER of $215,191 per QALY. On one‐way sensitivity analysis compared to observation, median cost of vorasidenib and median overall survival were most likely to affect ICER with only marginal changes on analysis of other model factors. For ICER to become ≤$100,000 compared to observation, the cost of vorasidenib would need to drop to below $14,072 monthly or have a median survival gain of at least 11.9 years. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis demonstrated that vorasidenib was favored in none of 5000 Monte Carlo iterations. Conclusion Using the best available data, the current price of vorasidenib does not meet commonly accepted cost‐effectiveness thresholds in treatment of IDH‐mutated LGGs.
Risks associated with ventriculomegaly and symptomatic communicating hydrocephalus following stereotactic radiosurgery for vestibular schwannoma
OBJECTIVE Communicating hydrocephalus may occur following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) for vestibular schwannomas (VSs), yet identifying individual patient risk factors associated with this post-SRS complication remains a challenge. This study examined predictors of nonobstructive ventricular enlargement and symptomatic communicating hydrocephalus following primary SRS treatment for VS via a single-center institutional cohort review and meta-analysis of the literature. METHODS A retrospective single-institution cohort study and systematic literature review and meta-analysis examining post-SRS communicating hydrocephalus in VS was performed. RESULTS The institutional cohort consisted of 634 patients who received primary SRS as treatment for VS. The cohort was 51.6% female, with a median age of 64 (range 18–89) years. Following SRS treatment, 364 patients (57.4%) experienced tumor shrinkage, 218 (34.4%) had no change in the size of their lesion, and 52 (8.2%) experienced tumor growth. Nonobstructive ventricular enlargement was observed in 23 patients (3.6%) following SRS treatment, of whom 9 (39.1%) remained asymptomatic and 14 (60.9%) required placement of a ventriculoperitoneal (VP) shunt, with a median time to shunt placement of 8 months. In the multivariate analysis, patients ≥ 65 years old (p = 0.038), SRS target volume ≥ 5 cm 3 (p < 0.001), maximum SRS dose ≥ 26 Gy (p = 0.015), and tumor growth at the most recent follow-up (p = 0.002) were associated with an increased risk of post-SRS ventricular enlargement. Similarly, patients with older age (p = 0.049), increased SRS target volume (p = 0.002), and tumor growth (p = 0.016) were at an increased risk of symptomatic communicating hydrocephalus requiring VP shunt placement. Twenty-nine studies, including the cohort in this study, met inclusion criteria in the meta-analysis. Of the pooled 7825 patients, the overall incidence of hydrocephalus following SRS was 5%, and a subanalysis of 7081 patients demonstrated the incidence of symptomatic hydrocephalus requiring a VP shunt to be 4%. In this subanalysis, the overall shunting rate in patients who experienced post-SRS ventriculomegaly was 92%. Among individual studies in the literature, increased tumor size was most commonly found to be a statistically significant risk factor for post-SRS hydrocephalus. CONCLUSIONS Approximately 5% of patients may experience nonobstructive ventricular enlargement following primary SRS treatment for VS. However, not all patients may be symptomatic and require shunting. Patients who are older (≥ 65 years), those with larger tumor volumes, and those with post-SRS tumor growth may be at increased risk of communicating hydrocephalus and may benefit from closer clinical monitoring.