Atypical and anaplastic meningioma: outcomes in a population based study

Area of Science:

• Neuro-oncology
• Cancer epidemiology
• Tumor biology

Background:

• Atypical and anaplastic meningiomas (AAM) are aggressive brain tumors with significant mortality.
• Understanding prognostic factors is essential for improving patient outcomes and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate associations between patient and tumor characteristics and tumor-related death in AAM.
• To identify key factors influencing survival in patients diagnosed with AAM.

Main Methods:

• Population-based cohort study using Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database (1973-2012).
• Included 522 patients with AAM, excluding those with incomplete clinical information.
• Multivariate proportional competing risk regression analysis was performed to identify significant predictors of tumor-related death.

Main Results:

• Age at diagnosis, tumor size, infratentorial location, and radiation treatment were significantly associated with tumor-related death.
• Higher age (HR 1.03), infratentorial location (HR 2.81), larger tumor size (HR 1.01), and radiation treatment (HR 1.52) increased the risk of death.
• Gross total resection (GTR) was associated with better outcomes compared to subtotal resection.

Conclusions:

• Patient age, tumor size, location, and radiotherapy are significant prognostic factors for AAM.
• These findings support the development of individualized treatment plans for patients with AAM.
• Further research on radiation and chemotherapy is needed to optimize disease control.