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Age and Weight Factors to Play a Vital Role in Recovery from Rare Brain Tumor ‘Pilocytic Astrocytoma’, Study Suggests

Jan, 2021 - By WMR

According to a new collaborative research study piloted by the researchers of Medical University of Vienna (MedUni Vienna) and Karl Landsteiner University of Health Sciences in Krems (KL Krems) have reported that factors such as age and body mass index (BMI) have a significant impact on recovery from a rare type of brain tumor in adult patients called as pilocytic astrocytoma.

The researchers informed that recurrence or progression of pilocytic astrocytoma occurs almost twice in affects adults, in comparison to child suffering from this rare tumor. They also informed that body mass index of over 23 resulted in frequent recurrence of the tumor. In the future, these new insights could result in more accurate prognosis for adult patients, and enable corresponding optimization of treatment approaches. In this study, researchers evaluated data of from 46 patients of age group of 19-74 who underwent operative resection of the brain tumor and detected two major factors such as age and body mass index, or BMI that influence the clinical course after the operation.

Researchers observed that recurrence or progression of pilocytic astrocytoma in adults occurred twice more than the children with the tumor (19.6% vs. 10%) following the operation. Researchers also revealed that the probability of further tumor growth is high at the age of 40.

Professor Oberndorfer stated, “On average, the patients had a BMI of 22.8 when they were diagnosed. But if the BMI was higher, the tumor recurred or started growing again far more quickly, and the average survival rate was also shorter.”