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Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society 2001;30(7): 855-860. |
Malignant Transformation of Hemispheric Low-Grade Gliomas: Clinical Analysis and Prognostic Factors. |
Keun Tae Cho, Ho Shin Gwak, Hee Won Jung, Sun Ha Paek, Young Seob Chung, Dong Gyu Kim, Byung Kyu Cho |
Department of Neurosurgery, Seoul National University, College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. |
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ABSTRACT |
INTRODUCTION: It has been reported that the survival of low-grade glioma patients depends upon the time of malignant transformation. The authors presents the clinical analysis of histologically proven trasformed gliomas.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total 92 patients who were consecutively treated and histologically confirmed hemispheric low-grade gliomas between 1980 and 1998 were analyzed and followed. All cases meet the criteria of WHO glioma classification of grade II. RESULTS The mean follow-up period was 73 months. Twenty two among 92 cases(24%) were histologically proven to be transformed into malignant ones. The mean time to transformation was 56 months. The 5-year and 10-year survival rates of the transformed group were 66% and 30% respectively and significantly different from the survival rates of the non-transformed group(p=0.0018). Among clinical factors at presentation, the initial tumor volume had a tendency to be larger in the transformed group than that of the non-transformed group and became significant when it was divided into more than 30cm3 or not(p=0.02). Among therapeutic factors, the extent of removal had no influence on the rate of malignant transformation. But postoperative radiation therapy were more frequently given to the pre-transformed group than the non-transformed group and the frequency was significantly different(p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS The authors had found that the initial tumor volume and radiation therapy could be clinical prognostic factors for the malignant transformation of low-grade gliomas. |
Key Words:
Low-grade glioma; Malignant transformation; Tumor volume; Radiation therapy |
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