Clinicopathological features and treatment outcomes of brain stem gliomas in Saudi population

To analyze experiences to identify treatment outcomes and prognostic factors in a Saudi population.

Medical records of patients with brainstem gliomas treated from July 2001 to December 2012 were reviewed to identify treatment outcomes of surgery, radiation therapy and chemotherapy and associated prognostic factors in a Saudi population.

We analyzed 49 brain stem glioma (BSG) patients from July 2001 to December 2012; 31 of them were males (63.3%) with a median age of 12.6 years (range: 8-64 mo). Twenty-two patients (44.9%) had diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas (DIPG) and 15 (30.6%) presented with focal/tectal BSG. Histopathology was available in 30 patients (61.2%). Median survival time for the whole cohort was 1.5 years. One and two year OS rates were 51.1% and 41.9% respectively. Two year OS rates for focal/tectal, dorsally exophytic, cervicomedullary and DIPG tumors were 60%, 33.3%, 33.3% and 13.6% respectively (P < 0.0001). Significant prognostic factors related to OS were age at diagnosis (worse for > 18 years) P = 0.01, KPS < 70 P = 0.02, duration of symptoms (< 60 d) P = 0.002, histology (better for favorable) P = 0.002, surgery (maximal resection) P = 0.002, and concurrent chemotherapy with radiation therapy in DIPG (better if given) P = 0.01.

BSG, especially the DIPG subgroup, had a dismal prognosis, needing more aggressive neurosurgical, radiation and chemotherapy techniques, while focal and tectal tumors were found to have a better prognosis.