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Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common and most malignant glioma. Nonglioblastoma (non-GBM) gliomas (WHO Grades II and III) are invasive and also often fatal. The goal of this study is to determine whether sex differences exist in glioma survival. Methods Data were obtained from the National Cancer Database (NCDB) for years 2010 to 2014. GBM (WHO Grade IV; N = 2073) and non-GBM (WHO Grades II and III; N = 2963) were defined using the histology grouping of the Central Brain Tumor Registry of the United States. Non-GBM was divided into oligodendrogliomas/mixed gliomas and astrocytomas. Sex differences in survival were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for known prognostic variables. Results There was a female survival advantage in patients with GBM both in the unadjusted (P =.048) and adjusted (P =.003) models. Unadjusted, median survival was 20.1 months (95% CI: 18.7-21.3 months) for women and 17.8 months (95% CI: 16.9-18.7 months) for men. Adjusted, median survival was 20.4 months (95% CI: 18.9-21.6 months) for women and 17.5 months (95% CI: 16.7-18.3 months) for men. When stratifying by age group (18-55 vs 56+ years at diagnosis), this female survival advantage appeared only in the older group, adjusting for covariates (P =.017). Women (44.1%) had a higher proportion of methylated MGMT (O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase) than men (38.4%). No sex differences were found for non-GBM. Conclusions Using the NCDB data, there was a statistically significant female survival advantage in GBM, but not in non-GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have drawn a great deal of attention as promising novel cancer diagnostics and prognostic biomarkers, we sought to identify serum miRNAs significantly associated with outcome in glioblastoma patients. To do this, we performed global miRNA profiling in serum samples from 106 primary glioblastoma patients. The study subjects were randomly divided into two sets: set one (n = 40) and set two (n = 66). Using a Cox regression model, 3 serum miRNAs (miR-106a-5p, miR-182, and miR-145-5p) and 5 serum miRNAs (miR-222-3p, miR-182, miR-20a-5p, miR-106a-5p, and miR-145-5p) were identified significantly associated with 2-year patient overall survival and disease-free survival (P < 0.05) in both sets and the combined set. We then created the miRNA risk scores to assess the total impact of the significant serum miRNAs on survival. The high risk scores were associated with poor patient survival (overall survival: HR = 1.92, 95% CI: 1.19, 10.23, and disease-free survival: HR = 2.03, 95%CI: 1.24, 4.28), and were independent of other clinicopathological factors. Our results suggest that serum miRNAs could serve as prognostic predictors of glioblastoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory pseudotumor (IP) is a benign process that most commonly occurs in the lung and orbit. Extension into the central nervous system is extremely rare, and primary intraventricular lesions of the lateral ventricles are even more infrequent with only 2 cases reported in pediatric patients to date. Here, the authors present an unusual case of IP occurring in a 16-year-old female presenting with a 2-week history of progressive headaches and vomiting, without focal neurological deficits or radiographic evidence of hydrocephalus. The patient underwent left parietal craniotomy and complete resection of the tumor, with no signs of recurrence at 3-month follow-up. Although the rarity of intraventricular IP in pediatric patients can make its initial identification difficult, IP should be considered as a potential diagnosis in this population wherein good outcomes may be achieved following surgical resection. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. To our knowledge, this is the sixth reported case in the literature of fourth ventricular schwannoma. The etiology and natural history of intraventricular schwannomas is not well understood. A thorough review of potential etiopathogenic mechanisms is provided in this case report. Case Description. A 69-year-old man presented with an incidentally found fourth ventricular tumor during an evaluation for generalized weakness, gait instability, and memory disturbance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed a heterogeneously enhancing lesion in the fourth ventricle. A suboccipital craniotomy was performed to resect the lesion. Histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of schwannoma (WHO grade I). Conclusions. Schwannomas should be considered in the differential diagnosis of intraventricular tumors. Although the embryologic origins may be different from nerve sheath-derived schwannomas, the histologic, clinical, and natural history appear identical and thus should be managed similarly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Emerging immunotherapeutic strategies for the treatment of glioblastoma (GBM) such as dendritic cell (DC) vaccines, heat shock proteins, peptide vaccines, and adoptive T-cell therapeutics, to name a few, have transitioned from the bench to clinical trials. With upcoming strategies and developing therapeutics, it is challenging to critically evaluate the practical, clinical potential of individual approaches and to advise patients on the most promising clinical trials. Methods: The authors propose a system to prioritize such therapies in an organized and data-driven fashion. This schema is based on four categories of factors: antigenic target robustness, immune-activation and -effector responses, preclinical vetting, and early evidence of clinical response. Each of these categories is subdivided to focus on the most salient elements for developing a successful immunotherapeutic approach for GBM, and a numerical score is generated. Results: The Score Card reveals therapeutics that have the most robust data to support their use, provides a reference prioritization score, and can be applied in a reiterative fashion with emerging data. Conclusions: The authors hope that this schema will give physicians an evidence-based and rational framework to make the best referral decisions to better guide and serve this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fas-associated factor 1 or FAF1 is a Fas-binding protein implicated in apoptosis. FAF1 is the product of a gene at PARK 10 locus on chromosome 1p32, a locus associated with late-onset PD [Hicks, A.A., Petursson, H., Jonsson, T., Stefansson, H., Johannsdottir, H.S., Sainz, J., Frigge, M.L.et al., 2002. A susceptibility gene for late-onset idiopathic Parkinson''s disease. Ann Neurol. 52, 549–555.]. In the present study we investigated the role of FAF1 in cell death and in Parkinson''s disease (PD) pathogenesis. FAF1 levels were significantly increased in frontal cortex of PD as well as in PD cases with Alzheimer''s disease (AD) pathology compared to control cases. Changes in FAF1 expression were specific to PD-related α-synuclein pathology and nigral cell loss. In addition, PD-related insults including, mitochondrial complex I inhibition, oxidative stress, and increased α-synuclein expression specifically increased endogenous FAF1 expression in vitro. Increased FAF1 levels induced cell death and significantly potentiated toxic effects of PD-related stressors including, oxidative stress, mitochondrial complex I inhibition and proteasomal inhibition. These studies, together with previous genetic linkage studies, highlight the potential significance of FAF1 in pathogenesis of idiopathic PD. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]