Study Finds Tumor-Related Epilepsy Is Not a Major Prognostic Indicator in Diffuse Glioma Patients

Recent research published in the May issue of Brain and Behavior reveals that tumor-related epilepsy (TRE) does not serve as a strong prognostic factor for patients with diffuse gliomas. Led by Yao Xiao from Huazhong University of Science and Technology in Wuhan, China, the study analyzed data from 1,036 adult patients across multiple centers, focusing on the risk factors and impact of TRE.

Participants were categorized into three prognostic groups based on tumor type and grade: lower-grade oligodendroglioma/astrocytoma (OD/AC, IDH-mutant, grades II-III), not otherwise specified or not elsewhere classified (NOS/NEC, IDH-wild type, grades II-III), and high-grade gliomas (HGG, grade IV). The study found that TRE was present in 44.4% of OD/AC patients, 25.8% of NOS/NEC patients, and 16.5% of HGG patients.

In the OD/AC group, age was the only significant factor associated with TRE, whereas in the other groups, absence of deep structural involvement was linked to higher TRE occurrence. Although TRE correlated with longer progression-free and overall survival in univariate analysis—most notably in the NOS/NEC group—these associations did not hold up in multivariate analysis, suggesting TRE may not independently influence prognosis.

Interestingly, TRE was identified as a factor associated with maintaining a lower histological grade at recurrence, implicating complex interactions between tumor biology, tumor cells, and surrounding brain tissue as underlying mechanisms. The researchers emphasize that understanding these interactions could pave the way for future therapies targeting both seizure activity and tumor progression.

This study underscores that while TRE is common among glioma patients and may stringently relate to specific clinical features, it should not be considered a reliable standalone prognostic marker for patient outcomes. Future strategies may better focus on the biological interactions driving both tumor growth and seizures.

Source: MedicalXpress