Analysis of clinical characteristics, surgical strategy and prognosis for brainstem gangliogliomas

Abstract

Objective To analyze the clinical and imaging features, surgical strategy and prognosis in patients with brainstem gangliogliomas (GG). Methods The clinical data of 46 patients with brainstem GG from February 2010 to August 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. The clinical and imaging features, surgical methods and prognosis were reviewed. Results The age of 46 brainstem GG patients was (22.5 ± 4.6) years, the duration was (38.1 ± 8.9) months, and the most common symptoms were dizziness and headache, accounting for 47.8% (22/46). The MRI results showed that endogeny type was in 5 cases, exogenesis type in 10 cases, and endogeny- exogenesis type in 31 cases. The exogenesis type was enrolled as non-infiltrate brainstem group (10 cases), and the endogeny type and endogeny-exogenesis type were enrolled as infiltrate brainstem group (36 cases). The axial T1WI showed that the crescent sign was in 20 cases (43.5%, 20/46), and the sagittal T1WI showed that the patching sign was in 31 cases (67.4%, 31/46). Among all patients, total resection was achieved in 13 cases, near total resection in 9 cases, subtotal resection in 16 cases, partial resection in 7 cases and biopsy in 1 case. No operative death occurred. The patients were followed up for 3 to 87 (40.6 ± 12.8) months, and 5 patients died (all in infiltrate brainstem group). The progression-free survival in non-infiltrate brainstem group was significantly longer than that in infiltrate brainstem group: (46.0 ± 13.1) months vs. (19.5 ± 8.9) months, and there was statistical difference (P<0.05). Conclusions Most brainstem GG has some unique MRI characteristics. Microsurgical resection might be preferred. Tumors that locate outside the brainstem can be fully removed. The long-term prognosis of brainstem GG is better. Key words: Brain stem neoplasms; Ganglioglioma; Microsurgery; Prognosis