Tag: tumor recurrence

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Laser interstitial thermal therapy in the treatment of brain metastases: the relationship between changes in postoperative magnetic resonance imaging characteristics and tumor recurrence

Acta Neurochirurgica (2023) 165:1379–1387

Laser interstitial thermal therapy (LITT) has been used to treat brain metastases (BMs) in several countries, and its safety and effectiveness have been confirmed. In most cases, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) reveals an increase in tumor volume with an enhanced margin after LITT. However, little is known about the relationship between this MRI change and tumor recurrence.

Objective We report the first case series of BMs treated by LITT in China to evaluate the clinical characteristics and predictive factors of tumor recurrence.

Material and methods Patients with less than four brain metastatic lesions and a Karnofsky performance status (KPS) > 70 were eligible for study inclusion. Standard LITT procedures were performed, and a follow-up MRI was performed to analyze the radiographic changes, especially the volume ratio of the enhanced margin and the whole lesion on MRI at 30 days postoperatively. All the volume-related data were delineated and calculated using 3D Slicer software. Related predictors were also collected to evaluate the correlation with local tumor control.

Results Eighteen patients with nineteen lesions were enrolled for treatment and follow-up. Primary tumor histology included pulmonary carcinoma (n = 11) and breast cancer (n = 4). On average, the tumor size measured 3.01 cm3 (range, 0.40–7.40 cm3), the total ablation time was 13.58 min (range, 2.88–37.15 min), and the complete ablation rate was 92.4% (range, 29.2–100%). Comparing 3s0-day follow-up MRI results with preoperative MRI findings, 18 lesions showed a 2.28-fold (range, 1.21–4.88) volume increase; all the lesions displayed an enhanced component with a volume ratio of 42.35% (range, 10.14–100%). Five patients experienced tumor recurrence, and the local tumor control rates at 90 days and 180 days of followup were 68.4% and 66.7%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that the primary tumor, ablation rate, and enhanced volume ratio (EVR) > 40% in the 30-day MRI were associated with tumor recurrence, whereas multivariate analysis showed that only EVR > 40% was a predictive factor of local control.

Conclusion LITT is a minimally invasive method used to ablate brain metastases which can be used as the first-line treatment for BM patients under certain indications. After LITT, most tumors showed volume enlargement on the 30-day MRI scan, and EVR > 40% on the 30-day MRI may indicate late tumor recurrence.

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Recurrent Low-Grade Gliomas: Does Reoperation Affect Neurocognitive Functioning?

Neurosurgery 90:221–232, 2022

Reoperations in patients with recurrent low-grade gliomas (RLGG) were proposed to control tumor residual and delay the risk of malignant transformation over time.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate neurocognitive outcomes in patients with RLGG who underwent a second surgery with awake monitoring.

METHODS: In this retrospective study, patients who underwent a second awake surgery for RLGG were included. Patients had presurgical and 3-mo postsurgical neuropsychological assessments. Data were converted into Z-scores and combined by the cognitive domain. Number of patients with cognitive deficits (Z-score <À1.65), variations of Z-scores, and extent of resection (EOR) were analyzed.

RESULTS: Sixty-two patients were included (mean age: 41.2 ± 10.0 yr). None had permanent neurological deficits postoperatively. Eight patients (12.9%) had a cognitive deficit preoperatively. Four additional patients (6.5%) had a cognitive deficit 3 mo after reoperation. Among other patients, 13 (21.0%) had a mild decline without cognitive deficits while 29 (46.8%) had no change of their performances and 8 (12.9%) improved. Overall, 94.2% of the patients returned to work. There were no correlations between EOR and Z-scores. Total/ subtotal resections were achieved in 91.9% of the patients (mean residual: 3.1 cm3 ). Fiftyeight patients (93.5%) were still alive after an overall follow-up of 8.3 yr.

CONCLUSION: Reoperation with awake monitoring in patients with RLGG was compatible with an early recovery of neuropsychological abilities. Four patients (6.5%) presented a new cognitive deficit at 3 mo postoperatively. Total/subtotal resections were achieved in most patients. Based on these favorable outcomes, reoperation should be considered in a more systematic way.

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FLAIR signal increase of the fluid within the resection cavity after glioma surgery: generally valid as early recurrence marker?

J Neurosurg 127:417–425, 2017

Recent studies have indicated that a signal intensity increase of the fluid within the resection cavity on FLAIR images may predict tumor recurrence after glioma surgery. The aim of this study was to assess the increase in FLAIR signal intensity in a large patient cohort and in subgroups to assess its prognostic value for early tumor recurrence in glioma patients.

METHODS A total of 212 patients (213 cases) who had undergone surgery for an intracranial glioma (WHO Grade IV [n = 103], WHO Grade III [n = 57], and WHO Grade II [n = 53]) were included in this retrospective study. FLAIR signal within the resection cavity at the time of tumor recurrence/last contact and on the previous MRI study was assessed qualitatively and quantitatively. Appearance of FLAIR signal increase was studied over time using Kaplan-Meier estimates in subgroups.

RESULTS Patients with WHO Grade II glioma and connection of the resection cavity to CSF who did not undergo radiotherapy did not regularly develop this sign and were excluded from further analysis. For the remaining 87 cases, FLAIR signal intensity increase was observed in 27 cases. Recurrent disease was found in 26 of these 27 cases, resulting in a specificity of 80.0%, a sensitivity of 31.7%, and positive and negative predictive values of 96.3% and 6.7%, respectively. In 4 cases this sign had been observed prior (range 2.8–8.5 months) to tumor recurrence defined by standard criteria. Quantitative analysis underlined the results of qualitative analysis, but it did not add a diagnostic value.

CONCLUSIONS Signal intensity increase of the fluid within the resection cavity on FLAIR images is a rare but highly specific and early sign for tumor recurrence/tumor progression in completely and incompletely resected high-grade glioma without connection of the resection cavity to CSF and with radiotherapy.

 

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Intraoperative high-field MRI for transsphenoidal reoperations of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma

Intraoperative high-field MRI for transsphenoidal reoperations of nonfunctioning pituitary adenoma

J Neurosurg 121:1166–1175, 2014

The loss of anatomical landmarks, frequently invasive tumor growth, and tissue changes make transsphenoidal reoperation of nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas (NFAs) challenging. The use of intraoperative MRI (iMRI) may lead to improved results. The goal of this retrospective study was to evaluate the impact of iMRI on transsphenoidal reoperations for NFA.

Methods. Between September 2002 and July 2012, 109 patients underwent reoperations in which 111 transsphenoidal procedures were performed and are represented in this study. A 1.5-T Magnetom Sonata Maestro Class scanner (Siemens) was used for iMRI. Follow-up iMRI scans were acquired if gross-total resection (GTR) was suspected or if no further removal seemed possible.

Results. Surgery was performed for tumor persistence and regrowth in 26 (23%) and 85 (77%) patients, respectively. On the initial iMRI scans, GTR was confirmed in 19 (17%) patients. Remnants were located as follows: 65 in the cavernous sinus (71%), 35 in the suprasellar space (38%), 9 in the retrosellar space (10%). Additional resection was possible in 62 (67%) patients, resulting in a significant volume reduction and increased GTR rate (49%). The GTR rates of invasive tumors on initial iMRI and postoperative MRI (poMRI) were 7% and 25%, respectively. Additional remnant resection was possible in 64% of the patients. Noninvasive tumors were shown to be totally resected on the initial iMRI in 31% of cases. After additional resection for 69% of the procedures, the GTR rate on poMRI was 75%. Transcranial surgery to resect tumor remnants was indicated in 5 (5%), and radiotherapy was performed in 29 (27%) patients. After GTR, no recurrence was detected during a mean follow-up of 2.2 ± 2.1 years.

Conclusions. The use of iMRI in transsphenoidal reoperations for NFA leads to significantly higher GTR rates. It thus prevents additional operations and reduces the number of tumor remnants. The complication rates do not exceed the incidences reported in the literature for primary transsphenoidal surgery. If complete tumor resection is not possible, iMRI guidance can facilitate tumor volume reduction.

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