A national perspective of adult gangliogliomas

• This is the largest reported cohort of adult patients with gangliogliomas.
• We evaluated the demographic, tumor and treatment characteristics of gangliogliomas.
• We have confirmed a temporal lobe predilection of these tumors.
• Older patients with high grade tumors have an increased hazard of mortality.
• The effectiveness of adjuvant radiation therapy and chemotherapy remains unclear.

Gangliogliomas (GG) are rare tumors of the nervous system. Patient characteristics and clinical outcomes of low and high-grade GG have been difficult to elucidate in the adult population. This study aims to further elaborate on GG treatment and overall survival utilizing a larger cohort than previously published. The USA National Cancer Database was utilized to evaluate adult (age 18 years and older) patients diagnosed with GG between 2004 and 2006. Descriptive statistics and Kaplan–Meier overall survival estimates were provided. A total of 198 adult GG patients were diagnosed between 2004 and 2006. Of these, 181 (91.4%) were low-grade and 17 (8.6%) high-grade GG. Overall, the median age was 36 years; approximately 50% of patients were female, and 86.5% Caucasian. Most patients (59%) had near/gross total resection. Radiation and chemotherapy were prescribed in 18 (9.1%) and 11 (5.7%) patients, respectively. Radiation (64.7% versus 3.9%, p < .0001) and chemotherapy (47.1% versus 1.7%, p < .0001) were more frequently given to patients with high-grade tumors than low-grade. The median overall survival of high-grade GG was 44.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 10.5–92.5) while the corresponding estimate for low-grade tumors was not reached. Older age (hazard ratio [HR] 1.72, 95% CI: 1.26–2.34) and high tumor grade (HR 3.91, 95% CI: 1.43–10.8) were found to be associated with poor survival. Adult GG have a temporal lobe predilection and overall gross total resection rate of 59%. Older patients with high-grade tumors had an increased hazard of mortality. High-grade GG were significantly more likely to be treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy.