Three-Year Survival Rate in All Kinds of Glioma Tumors in One Institution, Iran, 2001-2010

Survival rate in brain tumors have not been reported in Iran. The purpose of this study, given the lack of such information, has set to evaluate 3 years survival rate in patients with all kinds of glioma tumors who had been admitted and already diagnosed with one type of glioma tumor, in department of neurosurgery, Al-Zahra hospital, Isfahan, Iran over period of 2001-2010.

This study was descriptive and retrospective, including 222 patients who had been admitted to the department of neurosurgery, already diagnosed with one type of glioma tumor. All patients (for minors, their parents) were contacted and explained whole structure of the study and its objectives and consented (according to regulations of the Ethics committee and declaration of Helsinki) if they desired to participate in the study; also, they were asked about 3 years survival rate following their tumor resection surgery. Data such as patient age at time of admission, gender, histological diagnosis of tumor and treatment regimen (surgical/non-surgical, radiation, chemotherapy) were collected from patients’ medical record. 3 years survival rate and frequency of each tumor based upon age and gender, were measured. Patients with Diffuse Astrocytoma, Oligodendroglioma, Ependymoma and Pilocytic Astrocytoma had been treated with surgery and radiation. Patients with Glioblastoma Multiform (GBM) and Anaplastic Astrocytoma had been treated with surgery plus chemo-radiation.

3 years survival rate in this study for GBM and Anaplastic Astrocytoma were 8.7% and 0% respectively. These tumors are categorized as high-grade glioma with poor prognosis. On the other hand, 3 years survival rate for Diffuse Astrocytoma, Oligodendroglioma, Ependymoma and Pilocytic Astrocytoma were 100%, 95.2%, 100% and 100% respectively. These tumors are considered as low-grade glioma which have good prognosis.

In this study, 3 years survival rate in patients with low-grade glioma following surgery and radiation was almost 100%. In contrast, 3 years survival rate in patients with high-grade glioma following surgery plus chem-radiation was almost 0%.