Low-Grade Gliomas: Natural History and Chemotherapy Response

So-called benign gliomas grow continuously, with or without treatment.

Low-grade gliomas (LGGs) are so-called benign tumors with a long natural history compared with their malignant counterparts. Evidence has been mounting that these tumors are in fact continuously growing and result in significant morbidity and mortality.

In this study, researchers retrospectively measured the natural growth of LGGs in 39 patients and measured the response of LGGs to temozolomide chemotherapy in these 39 patients plus 68 others. They also assessed the effects of the 1p-19q deletion combined with P53 non-overexpression, considered a favorable genotype.

In the 39 patients in whom natural growth was measured, mean tumor diameter (MTD) increased linearly; this growth was slower in tumors with the favorable genotype than in those wi…

Reviewing Author

Santosh Kesari, MD, PhD