The tumour volume influence on tumour recurrence and progression-free survival in the case of atypical meningiomas

Objective: The objective of our study was to evaluate a possible relation between the volume of atypical meningiomas (AMs) and the risk of tumour recurrence, as well as progression-free survival (PFS). Material and methods: We evaluated 81 patients diagnosed with AMs (WHO grade II meningioma) who have undergone surgery at the "Prof. Dr. N. Oblu" Emergency Clinical Hospital Iasi between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2019. The recorded data were demographic and imagistic (MRI, contrast-enhanced T1WI). We calculated the tumour volume prior to the surgery and evaluated the tumour recurrence using MRI at 12, 24, 36, 48 and 60 months after the surgery. Results: 50.6% of patients had meningioma volume < 26.4 cm3. Women had larger tumour volumes than men (52.6%). Patients of age ≤ 60 years old, had tumour volumes ˃ 26.4 cm3 in 58.5% of cases and meningiomas with volumes ˃ 26.4 cm3 recurred earlier (p=0.010). Also, patients who had tumour volumes ˃ 26.4 cm3, had a shorter PFS (40.976 months), compared to patients with tumour volumes < 26.4 cm3, who had better PFS (53.4 months). Conclusions: the tumour volume of AMs ˃ 26.4 cm3 represents a negative prognostic factor for both early tumour recurrence and reduced PFS.