The impact of tumor resection on survival and functional outcomes for patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma.

Purpose: The role of tumor resection remains undetermined in treating primary central nervous system lymphomas (PCNSLs). This study aimed to clarify the impact of tumor resection on survival and functional outcomes, and to identify subgroups benefiting from resection.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records from 2010 to 2021 for PCNSL diagnosed at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Linkou.

Focused ultrasound combined with radiotherapy for malignant brain tumor: a preclinical and clinical study.

Introduction: Blood-brain barrier (BBB) remains to be the major obstacle to conquer in treating patients with malignant brain tumors. Radiation therapy (RT), despite being the mainstay adjuvant modality regardless of BBB, the effect of radiation induced cell death is hindered by the hypoxic microenvironment. Focused ultrasound (FUS) combined with systemic microbubbles has been shown not only to open BBB but also potentially increased regional perfusion.

Long-term follow-up and comparison of programmable and non-programmable ventricular cerebrospinal fluid shunts among adult patients with different hydrocephalus etiologies: a retrospective cohort study.

Background: Programmable valve (PV) has been shown as a solution to the high revision rate in pediatric hydrocephalus patients, but it remains controversial among adults. This study is to compare the overall revision rate, revision cause, and revision-free survival between PV and non-programmable valve (NPV) in adult patients with different hydrocephalus etiologies.

Method: We reviewed the chart of all patients with hydrocephalus receiving index ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunt operations conducted at a single institution from January 2017 to December 2017.

Correlation between initial tumor enlargement and magnetic resonance imaging characteristics following linear accelerator-based stereotactic radiosurgery for acoustic neuromas.

Background: Initial tumor enlargement (or pseudoprogression) instead of true tumor progression is a common phenomenon in patients with acoustic neuromas who are treated with stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). This phenomenon can affect clinical decision-making and patient management. This study assessed the correlation between initial tumor enlargement and magnetic resonance imaging characteristics in patients with acoustic neuromas who were treated with linear accelerator (LINAC)-based SRS.

Risk factors for peritumoral edema after radiosurgery for intracranial benign meningiomas: a long-term follow-up in a single institution.

Objective: Peritumoral edema (PTE) is recognized as a complication following stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). The aim of this paper was to evaluate the risk of post-SRS PTE for intracranial benign meningiomas and determine the predictive factors.

Methods: Between 2006 and 2021, 227 patients with 237 WHO grade I meningiomas were treated with Novalis linear accelerator SRS.

Prognostic Factors Analysis for Intracranial Cavernous Malformations Treated with Linear Accelerator Stereotactic Radiosurgery.

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is generally considered a substitute for cranial cavernous malformations (CCMs). However, prognostic factors for post-radiosurgery CCM rebleeding and adverse radiation effects have not been well evaluated, and the effect of timing and optimal treatment remains controversial. Therefore, this study evaluated prognostic factors for post-radiosurgical rebleeding and focal edematous changes in 30 patients who developed symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage due to solitary non-brainstem CCM and received linear accelerator (LINAC) SRS in a single medical center from October 2002 to June 2018.

Robot-Assisted Radiofrequency Ablation Combined with Thermodynamic Simulation for Epilepsy Reoperations.

Repeat craniotomies to treat recurrent seizures may be difficult, and minimally invasive radiofrequency ablation is an alternative therapy. On the basis of this procedure, we aimed to develop a more reliable methodology which is helpful for institutions where real-time image monitoring or electrophysiologic guidance during ablation are not available. We used simulation combined with a robot-assisted radiofrequency ablation (S-RARFA) protocol to plan and execute brain epileptic tissue lesioning.

Using cortical function mapping by awake craniotomy dealing with the patient with recurrent glioma in the eloquent cortex.

Background: Awake craniotomy is an effective method by which to reduce postoperative neurologic deficit in newly-diagnosed glioma patients. However, the level of functional preservation in patients undergoing resection of recurrent glioma remains unknown. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate functional outcomes in patients with recurrent glioma undergoing awake craniotomy as compared with conservative general anesthesia craniotomy for tumor resection.

A manzamine-derived compound as a potential therapeutic agent for glioma by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest.

Glioma is a severe disease with a poor prognosis despite aggressive surgical resection and traditional chemotherapies. Therefore, new anti-neoplastic drugs are urgently needed. Bioactive compounds from natural products are potential sources of antiproliferative molecules, among which manzamine compounds extracted from the Formosan marine sponge Haliclona sp.

Surgical Outcome and Evaluation of Strategies in the Management of Growth Hormone-Secreting Pituitary Adenomas After Initial Transsphenoidal Pituitary Adenectomy Failure.

Acromegaly is a systemic disease that requires multidisciplinary treatment to achieve the best clinical outcome. This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes of the endoscopic transsphenoidal approach (TSA) as the primary treatment for somatotroph adenomas and further investigate patients who had suboptimal surgical results. This retrospective study included 83 patients with somatotroph adenomas treated by TSA at our institution from 1999 to 2010.

Safety and tolerability of asunercept plus standard radiotherapy/temozolomide in Asian patients with newly-diagnosed glioblastoma: a phase I study.

Asunercept (company code APG101 [Apogenix AG]; company code CAN008 [CANbridge Pharmaceuticals]) is a novel glycosylated fusion protein that has shown promising effectiveness in glioblastoma. This Phase I study was initiated to evaluate the tolerability and safety of asunercept in combination with standard radiotherapy and temozolomide (RT/TMZ) in Asian patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma. This was the Phase I portion of a Phase I/II open label, multicenter trial of asunercept plus standard RT/TMZ.

Incidence and Factors Associated with Postoperative Delayed Hyponatremia after Transsphenoidal Pituitary Surgery: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

Introduction: Postoperative delayed hyponatremia is a complication associated with transsphenoidal pituitary surgery. Due to a wide spectrum of symptoms, the reported incidence and predictors of postoperative delayed hyponatremia vary among studies, and this deserves to be reviewed systematically.

Methods: PubMed, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases were searched until September 1, 2020.

Comparing learning outcomes among postgraduate year trainee groups.

Background: The objective of postgraduate year (PGY) training programs is to inculcate in medical graduates the expected levels of skills in patient care. This study compared the core clinical competencies of trainees who received PGY training at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital by attending the pilot training program in different groups.

Methods: We used six 10-min test stations for clinical performance evaluation, which comprised four and two test stations designed for objective structured clinical examination and procedural skill, respectively, to evaluate the learning outcomes of the trainees.

The Merits of Awake Craniotomy for Glioblastoma in the Left Hemispheric Eloquent Area: One Institution Experience.

Objective: Awake craniotomy (AC) with intraoperative stimulation mapping is the standard treatment for gliomas, especially those on the eloquent cortex. Many studies have reported survival benefits with the use of AC in patients with glioma, however most of these studies have focused on low-grade glioma. The aim of this study was to evaluate the experience of one treatment center over 10 years for resection of left hemispheric eloquent glioblastoma.

Treatment of intracranial meningioma with single-session and fractionated radiosurgery: a propensity score matching study.

Single-session stereotactic radiosurgery (SSRS) is recognized as a safe and efficient treatment for meningioma. We aim to compare the long-term efficacy and safety of fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (FSRT) with SSRS in the treatment of grade I meningioma. A total of 228 patients with 245 tumors treated with radiosurgery between March 2006 and June 2017were retrospectively evaluated.

Injectable Thermo-Sensitive Chitosan Hydrogel Containing CPT-11-Loaded EGFR-Targeted Graphene Oxide and SLP2 shRNA for Localized Drug/Gene Delivery in Glioblastoma Therapy.

In this study, we aimed to develop a multifunctional drug/gene delivery system for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme by combining the ligand-mediated active targeting and the pH-triggered drug release features of graphene oxide (GO). Toward this end, we load irinotecan (CPT-11) to cetuximab (CET)-conjugated GO (GO-CET/CPT11) for pH-responsive drug release after endocytosis by epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) over-expressed U87 human glioblastoma cells. The ultimate injectable drug/gene delivery system was designed by co-entrapping stomatin-like protein 2 (SLP2) short hairpin RNA (shRNA) and GO-CET/CPT11 in thermosensitive chitosan--poly(-isopropylacrylamide) (CPN) polymer solution, which offers a hydrogel depot for localized, sustained delivery of the therapeutics after the in situ formation of CPN@GO-CET/CPT11@shRNA hydrogel.

CCM1 and CCM2 variants in patients with cerebral cavernous malformation in an ethnically Chinese population in Taiwan.

Cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM) is a vascular malformation characterized by clustered enlarged capillary-like channels in the central nervous system. The genes harboring variants in patients with CCM include CCM1/Krev interaction trapped-1, CCM2/MGC4607, and CCM3/programmed cell death protein 10. We aimed to identify pathogenic variants in an ethnic Chinese population in Taiwan.

Adjuvant Radiation Therapy Compared with Observation Alone for Postoperative Residual Nonfunctional Pituitary Adenomas.

Objective: The management of residual nonfunctional pituitary tumors after surgical resection remains controversial. In this study, we compared the prognosis of postoperative radiation therapy and observation only in patients with residual nonfunctional pituitary adenoma and reviewed the long-term complications after radiation therapy.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 90 patients who underwent surgery for nonfunctional pituitary adenomas from January 2008 to April 2012.

Previous Antithrombotic Therapy, Particularly Anticoagulant, Is Associated with Unfavorable Outcomes in Patients with Primary Spontaneous Intracerebral Hemorrhage Receiving Craniotomy: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

Objective: The impact of antithrombotic agents on patients with primary intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) remains controversial, especially patients who require emergent craniotomy. This study was undertaken to evaluate clinical outcomes in operated patients with ICH with and without previous antithrombotic agents.

Methods: This is a retrospective cohort study.

Correlations between clinical hormone change and pathological features of pituicytoma.

Purpose: Pituicytoma is a rare low-grade glioma arising from the pituicytes of the posterior pituitary. To date, the clinical and pathological correlates of pituicytoma have not been investigated. This study was thus designed to examine the correlation between pituicytoma and the normal pituitary gland.