Symptom resolution in infiltrating WHO grade II-IV glioma patients undergoing surgical resection

• Little information exists regarding symptom resolution following glioma resection.
• Headache is the most common presenting symptom, and resolves in most patients.
• Older patients are less likely to see resolution of altered mental status after glioma surgery.
• Preoperative functioning is important to patient outcomes following glioma surgery.

Past studies of morbidity in patients with infiltrating gliomas have focused on the impact of surgery on quality of life. Surprisingly, little attention has been given to the rate at which the presenting symptoms improve after surgery, even though this is often the patient’s first concern. This study is an initial effort to provide useful information about symptom resolution and factors predicting persistence of symptoms in glioma patients who undergo surgery. We conducted a retrospective analysis on patients who underwent surgery for World Health Organization (WHO) grade II-IV astrocytoma/oligodendroglioma/oligoastrocytoma at our institution. All patients were seen 2–4 months postoperatively, and asked about the persistence of symptoms they experienced preoperatively. Symptoms reported in clinic were assessed against symptoms reported prior to surgery. Our study includes 56 consecutive patients undergoing surgery for gliomas. Of patients who experienced symptoms initially, headache resolved in 18/27 postoperatively, weakness resolved in 8/14 postoperatively, altered mental status resolved in 8/12 postoperatively, vision problems resolved in 7/11 postoperatively, nausea resolved in 5/7 postoperatively, and ataxia resolved in 4/5 postoperatively. Headache was more likely to resolve in patients with frontal or temporal tumors (p = 0.02). Preoperative Karnofsky Performance Scale (KPS) of 70 or less was associated with longer postsurgical hospital stay (p < 0.01). Younger patients were more likely to experience a resolution of altered mental status (p = 0.04). Our analysis provides data regarding the rate at which surgery alleviates patient symptoms and considers variables predicting likelihood of symptom resolution. Some patients will experience symptom resolution following resection of WHO grade II-IV gliomas in the months following surgery.