Search

Background Systemic immunity and inflammation indexes (SI) derived from blood cells have gained increasing attention in clinical oncology as potential biomarkers that are associated with survival. Materials and methods We tested 12 different SI using blood tests from patients with isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 wild-type glioblastomas, treated with radio-chemotherapy. The primary endpoint was their overall survival. Results A total of 77 patients, comprising 43 males and 34 females, with a median age of 64 years (age range 26–84), who were treated between October 2010 and July 2020, were included in the present analysis (approved by a local ethics committee). In the univariate Cox regression analysis, all the indexes except two showed a statistically significant impact on OS. In the multivariate Cox regression analysis, neutrophil × platelet × leukocyte/(lymphocyte × monocyte) (NPW/LM) and neutrophil × platelet × monocyte/lymphocyte (NPM/L) maintained their statistically significant impact value. Conclusions This univariate analysis confirms the potential of systemic inflammation indexes in patients with glioblastoma, while the multivariate analysis verifies the prognostic value of NPW/LM and NPM/L.

There is an unmet need for new biomarkers able to predict both the outcomes of up-front therapy and the compliance of elderly patients diagnosed with glioblastoma. For this purpose, temporal muscle thickness is a promising tool to be investigated.Data from 52 glioblastoma patients older than 65 years, treated with post-operative radio or radio-chemotherapy and referred to Pisa University Hospital, were retrieved. The thickness of temporal muscle (TMT) was divided into quartiles and correlated with overall survival (Our primary endpoint). Survival curves were calculated using Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test was used to evaluate the differences between curves.Patients in the lower quartile of TMT, with TMT thinner than 7 mm, have survived longer; both univariate and multivariate analyses showed a statistically significant correlation between TMT and overall survival (P = 0.012 and P = 0.003, respectively).Future prospective and more extensive studies focused on elderly glioblastoma patients are needed to confirm the role of TMT as prognostic value on OS and to help explaining this association.

The present study aims to investigate the role of the first magnetic resonances (MRI) following radio-chemotherapy (RT-CT) in patients diagnosed with high-grade glioma.We retrospectively recorded radiological evaluations following RT-CT, symptoms related to disease progression (avoiding any sign due to radiotherapy or chemotherapy) and the change of therapeutic strategy.In March 2021, at data analysis, the data of 149 patients diagnosed with high-grade glioma and treated between May 2013 and July 2020 were retrieved for the present analysis. Two out of 122 (1.6%), 5 out of 106 (4.7%) and 8 out of 92 (8.6%) asymptomatic patients received the diagnosis of disease recurrence at the time of the first, second and third MRI, respectively. Otherwise, 16 out of 27 (59.2%), 16 out of 24 (66.6%) and 13 out of 16 (82.2%) symptomatic patients changed their therapy after the first, second and third MRI, respectively. Among patients that experienced radiological signs of distant progression, 10 out of 14 were symptomatic and changed their therapy.MRIs performed by 6 months after the end of RT-CT lead to change treatment strategy mostly in symptomatic patients.

In patients with recurrent glioblastoma, the best timing to administer bevacizumab is not well addressed yet. In this study, we reported the results of a monocentric experience comparing the early use of bevacizumab (following the first GBM recurrence) with the delayed administration (following the second or even further GBM recurrences).This analysis included 129 glioblastoma patients with a median follow-up of 22.4 months (range=5.26-192 months).The median time lapse from diagnosis of glioblastoma to disease recurrence was 11.6 months; 13.1 for patients treated with deferred administration of bevacizumab and 9.9 for patients with early administration (p=0.047). Bevacizumab progression-free survival with early and delayed use was 3.45 and 2.92 months, respectively (p=0.504). Survival time from the start of bevacizumab was 6.18 months in patients with early administration, and 6.47 in the delayed administration one (p=0.318).Delayed administration of bevacizumab can be considered in selected patients with less aggressive recurrent glioblastoma.