M. Malik

Prognostic factors and outcomes in anaplastic gliomas: An institutional experienceLetter to the Editor

Background: There is lack of clear evidence and treatment guidelines for anaplastic gliomas (AGs) with very few studies focusing exclusively on these patients. The aim of the study was to analyze the clinical profile and survival in these patients. Materials and Methods: Patients of AGs treated with radiation and concurrent ± adjuvant chemotherapy from January 2010 to December 2015 were analyzed. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 20 software. Results: A total of 100 patients were included in the study. The median age was 35 years (range 6–68 years). Eighty-four patients had follow-up details and were included for survival analysis. The 5-year overall survival (OS) was 58%. Age, presentation with seizures, and focal neurological deficit were not found to significantly influence survival. The 5-year survival for oligodendroglioma and astrocytoma was 69% and 52%, respectively. Patients with Karnofsky Performance Score (KPS) of ≥70 had a significantly better 5-year OS (65%) as compared to those with KPS <70 (33%) (P = 0.000). The use of adjuvant temozolomide (TMZ) showed longer 5-year OS of 67.7% compared to 36% in patients who did not receive adjuvant chemotherapy (P = 0.018). Patients receiving both concurrent and adjuvant TMZ showed longer 5-year OS (68.5% vs. 40%, P = 0.010). Twenty-two patients had recurrence with average time to recurrence being 37 months. Fourteen patients underwent salvage surgery and two patients received reirradiation. Conclusions: OS significantly correlated with KPS and receipt of concurrent and adjuvant chemotherapy with TMZ. Therefore, adjuvant radiation with concurrent and adjuvant TMZ should be the standard of care for AGs.

Effect of valproic acid on survival in glioblastoma: A prospective single-arm study

Background: Retrospective evidence suggests that valproic acid (VPA), an antiepileptic drug, is associated with improved outcomes in glioblastoma. The exact mechanism of interaction of VPA with radiation and temozolomide (TMZ) is still unclear. Laboratory studies show that VPA can enhance tumor cell kill while at the same time protect the normal neural tissue. The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate the benefit of VPA on outcomes in glioblastoma. Materials and Methods: In this single-arm prospective study, patients of glioblastoma were started on seizure prophylaxis with VPA (15–20 mg/kg/day) following maximal safe resection. All patients were treated with chemoradiation to a dose of 60 Gy in 30 fractions with concurrent TMZ followed by adjuvant TMZ for 6 cycles. VPA was continued during adjuvant treatment and follow-up. Survival analysis was done using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: Twenty patients were enrolled in the study. Median age was 47 years. M:F ratio was 3:1. Treatment was well tolerated with no grade 3/4 adverse events. 8/20 patients experience seizure episodes during treatment and/or follow-up which needed additional antiepileptic drugs for control. Median progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 10 months and 16 months, respectively. Younger patients (age ≤45 years) showed a significantly better OS (25 months) versus older patients (8 months) (P = 0.002). Conclusions: Incidence of seizures on VPA prophylaxis was 40%. Median PFS and OS were comparable to historical controls. There was no significant treatment-related toxicity. The results need validation in larger prospective randomized studies.

Bilateral Testicular Metastases and Filariasis in Prostatic Adenocarcinoma

Testicular metastasis from a solid malignancy is a rare entity. The most common presentation of testicular metastasis is a unifocal and unilateral lesion. We report a case of bilateral testicular metastases with associated filariasis in a patient with prostatic adenocarcinoma and skeletal metastases. To the best of our knowledge, this is the only case of bilateral testicular metastases from prostate cancer with coexisting filariasis reported in the published data. The presence of filarial worms might have resulted in an inflammatory reaction that caused lymphangiectasia or lymphatic obstruction, creating a microenvironment conducive to the retrograde lymphatic spread of the tumor emboli.