Table 2.
Clinico-pathological factors related to surgical treatment for diffuse, low-grade gliomas in relation to educational levels of patients
| Educational level | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower n = 73 | Intermediate n = 238 | Higher n = 191 | p-value | |
| Age, years, mean (SD) | 52.7 (16.3) | 44.2 (14.1) | 43.2 (12.5) | < 0.01 |
| Asymptomatic, n (%) | 7 (10.0) N = 70 | 18 (8.1) N = 223 | 11 (5.9) N = 187 | 0.49 |
| Focal neurological deficit, n (%) | 29 (40.3) N = 72 | 80 (34.6) N = 231 | 61 (33.0) N = 185 | 0.54 |
| Bilateral or multifocal tumor growth, n (%) | 11 (15.1) | 21 (8.9) N = 237 | 17 (8.9) | 0.26 |
| Tumor size, n (%) | 0.18 | |||
| < 4 cm | 26 (43.3) | 75 (36.4) | 72 (40.9) | |
| 4–6 cm | 24 (40.0) | 93 (45.1) | 60 (34.1) | |
| > 6 cm | 10 (16.7) N = 60 | 38 (18.4) N = 206 | 44 (25.0) N = 176 | |
| WHO performance statusa, n (%) | 0.046 | |||
| 0: Fully active | 32 (45.7) | 130 (56.5) | 126 (66.7) | |
| 1: Light work possible | 23 (32.9) | 63 (27.4) | 40 (21.2) | |
| 2: Cares for self | 11 (15.7) | 32 (13.9) | 20 (10.6) | |
| 3: Limited self-care | 3 (4.3) | 5 (2.2) | 1 (0.5) | |
| 4: Disabled, confined to bed | 1 (1.4) N = 70 | 0 (0.0) N = 230 | 2 (1.1) N = 189 | |
| Days from imaging to surgery, median (Q1–3) | 51 (27–191) | 39 (21–86) N = 235 | 32 (20–80) N = 189 | 0.006 |
| Resection (not only biopsy), n (%) | 46 (64.8) N = 71 | 177 (74.7) N = 237 | 146 (77.7) N = 188 | 0.11 |
| Postop re-operation due to complicationb | 5 (7.6) N = 66 | 6 (2.9) N = 209 | 13 (7.7) N = 160 | 0.08 |
| Histopathology | 0.52 | |||
| Astrocytoma | 34 (46.6) | 125 (52.5) | 85 (44.5) | |
| Oligodendroglioma | 28 (38.3) | 84 (35.3) | 75 (39.3) | |
| Oligoastrocytoma | 11 (15.1) | 29 (12.2) | 31 (16.2) | |
| Number of comorbidities, n (%) | 0.001 | |||
| 0 | 43 (58.9) | 186 (78.2) | 164 (85.9) | |
| 1 | 21 (28.8) | 37 (15.5) | 22 (11.5) | |
| 2 | 6 (8.2) | 10 (4.2) | 4 (2.1) | |
| 3 or more | 3 (4.1) | 5 (2.1) | 1 (0.5) | |
Where data are missing, the actual N is provided in individual cells
WHO World Health Organisation, postop postoperatively
aThe WHO/Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance score
bAny complication within 30 days postoperatively leading to re-operation (for example parenchymal or extracerebral hemorrhage, infection)