Temporal muscle thickness is an independent prognostic marker in melanoma patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases.

OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prognostic relevance of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) in melanoma patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases. METHODS: TMT was retrospectively assessed in 146 melanoma patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases on cranial magnetic resonance images. Chart review was used to retrieve clinical parameters, including disease-specific graded prognostic assessment (DS-GPA) and survival times. RESULTS: Patients with a TMT > median showed a statistically significant increase in survival time (13 months) compared to patients with a TMT < median (5 months; p < 0.001; log rank test). A Cox regression model revealed that the risk of death was increased by 27.9% with every millimeter reduction in TMT. In the multivariate analysis, TMT (HR 0.724; 95% 0.642-0.816; < 0.001) and DS-GPA (HR 1.214; 95% CI 1.023-1.439; p = 0.026) showed a statistically significant correlation with overall survival. CONCLUSION: TMT is an independent predictor of survival in melanoma patients with brain metastases. This parameter may aid in patient selection for clinical trials or to the choice of different treatment options based on the determination of frail patient populations

High correlation of temporal muscle thickness with lumbar skeletal muscle cross-sectional area in patients with brain metastases.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the correlation of temporal muscle thickness (TMT), measured on routine cranial magnetic resonance (MR) images, with lumbar skeletal muscles obtained on computed tomography (CT) images in brain metastasis patients to establish a new parameter estimating skeletal muscle mass on brain MR images. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the cross-sectional area (CSA) of skeletal muscles at the level of the third lumbar vertebra on computed tomography scans and correlated these values with TMT on MR images of the brain in two independent cohorts of 93 lung cancer and 61 melanoma patients (overall: 154 patients) with brain metastases. RESULTS: Pearson correlation revealed a strong association between mean TMT and CSA in lung cancer and melanoma patients with brain metastases (0.733; p<0.001). The two study cohorts did not differ significantly in patient characteristics, including age (p = 0.661), weight (p = 0.787), and height (p = 0.123). However, TMT and CSA measures differed significantly between male and female patients in both lung cancer and melanoma patients with brain metastases (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: Our data indicate that TMT, measured on routine cranial MR images, is a useful surrogate parameter for the estimation of skeletal muscle mass in patients with brain metastases. Thus, TMT may be useful for prognostic assessment, treatment considerations, and stratification or a selection factor for clinical trials in patients with brain metastases. Further studies are needed to assess the association between TMT and clinical frailty parameters, and the usefulness of TMT in patients with primary brain tumors

Survival prediction using temporal muscle thickness measurements on cranial magnetic resonance images in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the prognostic relevance of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) in brain metastasis patients. METHODS: We retrospectively analysed TMT on magnetic resonance (MR) images at diagnosis of brain metastasis in two independent cohorts of 188 breast cancer (BC) and 247 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (overall: 435 patients). RESULTS: Survival analysis using a Cox regression model showed a reduced risk of death by 19% with every additional millimetre of baseline TMT in the BC cohort and by 24% in the NSCLC cohort. Multivariate analysis included TMT and diagnosis-specific graded prognostic assessment (DS-GPA) as covariates in the BC cohort (TMT: HR 0.791/CI [0.703-0.889]/p < 0.001; DS-GPA: HR 1.433/CI [1.160-1.771]/p = 0.001), and TMT, gender and DS-GPA in the NSCLC cohort (TMT: HR 0.710/CI [0.646-0.780]/p < 0.001; gender: HR 0.516/CI [0.387-0.687]/p < 0.001; DS-GPA: HR 1.205/CI [1.018-1.426]/p = 0.030). CONCLUSION: TMT is easily and reproducibly assessable on routine MR images and is an independent predictor of survival in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis from BC and NSCLC. TMT may help to better define frail patient populations and thus facilitate patient selection for therapeutic measures or clinical trials. Further prospective studies are needed to correlate TMT with other clinical frailty parameters of patients. KEY POINTS: • TMT has an independent prognostic relevance in brain metastasis patients. • It is an easily and reproducibly parameter assessable on routine cranial MRI. • This parameter may aid in patient selection and stratification in clinical trials. • TMT may serve as surrogate marker for sarcopenia

Long-Term Outcome and Comparison of Treatment Modalities of Temporal Bone Paragangliomas

Introduction: Temporal bone paragangliomas are rare tumors with high vascularization and usually benign entity. A variety of modalities, including gross total resection, subtotal resection, conventional or stereotactic radiotherapy including gamma-knife, embolization, and wait-and-scan strategy can be considered. The aim of this study was to compare long-term outcomes of different primary treatment modalities in temporal bone paragangliomas. Materials and Methods: Patients with temporal bone paragangliomas treated between 1976 and 2018 at a tertiary referral center were retrospectively analyzed in this study. Collected patient data of 42 years were analyzed and long-term results including interdisciplinary management were assessed. Patient outcomes were compared within the different therapy modalities according to tumor control rate and complications. Clinical characteristics, radiological imaging, tumor extent and location (according to Fisch classification), symptoms, and follow-up were evaluated and a descriptive analysis for each treatment modality was performed. Tumor recurrence or growth progression and respective cranial nerve function before and after therapy were described. Results: A total of 59 patients were treated with a single or combined treatment modality and clinical follow-up was 7 (13) years (median, interquartile range). Of the included patients 45 (76%) were female and 14 (24%) male (ratio 3:1) with a patient age range from 18 to 83 years. Total resection was performed on 31 patients, while 14 patients underwent subtotal resection. Eleven patients were treated with conventional primary radiotherapy or gamma-knife radiosurgery. Pulsatile tinnitus (n = 17, 29%) and hearing impairment (n = 16, 27%) were the most common symptoms in our patient group. Permanent lower cranial nerve deficits were observed only in patients with large tumors (Fisch C and D, n = 14, 24%). Among the 45 patients who were treated surgically, 88% of patients with Fisch A and B paragangliomas had no recurrent disease, while no tumor growth was perceived in 83% of patients with Fisch C and D paragangliomas. Conclusion: In conclusion, we propose surgery as a treatment option for patients with small tumors, due to a high control rate and less cranial nerve deficits compared to larger tumors. Although patients with Fisch C and D temporal bone paraganglioma can be treated surgically, only subtotal resections are possible in many cases. Additionally, frequent occurrence of cranial nerve deficits in those patients and tumor growth progression in long-term follow-up examinations make a combination of the therapy modalities or a primary radiotherapy more suitable in larger tumors

Hypothyroidism correlates with favourable survival prognosis in patients with brain metastatic cancer

BACKGROUND Several preclinical and epidemiologic studies have indicated tumour-promoting effects of thyroid hormones (THs). However, very limited knowledge exists on the prognostic impact of thyroid function in metastatic cancer. METHODS We compiled a discovery cohort of 1692 patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases (BMs) of solid cancers treated at the Medical University of Vienna and an independent validation cohort of 191 patients with newly diagnosed BMs treated at the University Hospital Zurich. RESULTS Hypothyroidism before diagnosis of cancer was evident in 133 of 1692 (7.9%) patients of the discovery, and in 18 of 191 (9.4%) patients of the validation cohort. In the discovery cohort, hypothyroidism was statistically significantly associated with favourable survival prognosis from diagnosis of cancer (31 vs. 21 months; p = 0.0026) and with survival prognosis from diagnosis of BMs (12 vs. 7 months; p = 0.0079). In multivariate analysis including the diagnosis-specific graded prognostic assessment score, primary tumour type and sex, hypothyroidism was an independent factor associated with survival after diagnosis of BMs (hazard ratio: 0.76; 95% confidence interval [CI]: (0.63; 0.91; p = 0.0034). In the validation cohort, the association of hypothyroidism and favourable survival prognosis from diagnosis of cancer (55 vs. 11 months; p = 0.00058), as well as from diagnosis of BMs (40 vs. 10 months; p = 0.0036) was confirmed. CONCLUSION Pre-existing hypothyroidism was strongly and independently associated with prognosis in patients with newly diagnosed BMs, supporting the evidence from preclinical data that THs may indeed have a tumour-promoting effect. Further investigation of the underlying pathobiological mechanism and potential therapeutic implications are required

High correlation of temporal muscle thickness with lumbar skeletal muscle cross-sectional area in patients with brain metastases.

ObjectivesThis study aimed to assess the correlation of temporal muscle thickness (TMT), measured on routine cranial magnetic resonance (MR) images, with lumbar skeletal muscles obtained on computed tomography (CT) images in brain metastasis patients to establish a new parameter estimating skeletal muscle mass on brain MR images.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the cross-sectional area (CSA) of skeletal muscles at the level of the third lumbar vertebra on computed tomography scans and correlated these values with TMT on MR images of the brain in two independent cohorts of 93 lung cancer and 61 melanoma patients (overall: 154 patients) with brain metastases.ResultsPearson correlation revealed a strong association between mean TMT and CSA in lung cancer and melanoma patients with brain metastases (0.733; pConclusionOur data indicate that TMT, measured on routine cranial MR images, is a useful surrogate parameter for the estimation of skeletal muscle mass in patients with brain metastases. Thus, TMT may be useful for prognostic assessment, treatment considerations, and stratification or a selection factor for clinical trials in patients with brain metastases. Further studies are needed to assess the association between TMT and clinical frailty parameters, and the usefulness of TMT in patients with primary brain tumors

Survival prediction using temporal muscle thickness measurements on cranial magnetic resonance images in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastases

Objectives To evaluate the prognostic relevance of temporal muscle thickness (TMT) in brain metastasis patients. Methods We retrospectively analysed TMT on magnetic resonance (MR) images at diagnosis of brain metastasis in two independent cohorts of 188 breast cancer (BC) and 247 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients (overall: 435 patients). Results Survival analysis using a Cox regression model showed a reduced risk of death by 19% with every additional millimetre of baseline TMT in the BC cohort and by 24% in the NSCLC cohort. Multivariate analysis included TMT and diagnosis-specific graded prognostic assessment (DS-GPA) as covariates in the BC cohort (TMT: HR 0.791/CI [0.7030.889]/p<0.001; DS-GPA: HR 1.433/CI [1.1601.771]/p=0.001), and TMT, gender and DS-GPA in the NSCLC cohort (TMT: HR 0.710/CI [0.6460.780]/p<0.001; gender: HR 0.516/CI [0.3870.687]/p<0.001; DS-GPA: HR 1.205/CI [1.0181.426]/p=0.030). Conclusion TMT is easily and reproducibly assessable on routine MR images and is an independent predictor of survival in patients with newly diagnosed brain metastasis from BC and NSCLC. TMT may help to better define frail patient populations and thus facilitate patient selection for therapeutic measures or clinical trials. Further prospective studies are needed to correlate TMT with other clinical frailty parameters of patients. Key Points TMT has an independent prognostic relevance in brain metastasis patients. It is an easily and reproducibly parameter assessable on routine cranial MRI. This parameter may aid in patient selection and stratification in clinical trials. TMT may serve as surrogate marker for sarcopenia.(VLID)355034