Developing an Imaging-Based Staging System for Brain Tumors

The TNM (tumor, node, metastasis) staging system describes the anatomical extent of cancer and has been utilized in solid tumor oncology since the 1940s (Cancer Prev Control 1998; 2:262). For central nervous system (CNS) tumors, the TNM staging system fails. Small tumors in eloquent cortex cause significant morbidity and mortality, the brain lacks typical lymphatics, and metastatic disease is extremely rare (Cancer Prev Control 1998; 2:262 and Neuro Oncol 2021; 23:1231). With advancements in imaging technology, radiomics facilitates defining spatial phenotypes, determining growth patterns, and developing imaging-based staging systems. In this study, the authors assessed MRI data from a consecutive cohort of 1000 patients with newly diagnose…