Although meningiomas are mainly non-aggressive and slow-growing tumors, there is a remarkable recurrence rate in a long-term follow-up. Proliferative activity and progression-free survival (PFS) differs significantly among the anatomic location of meningiomas. The aim of the present study was to investigate the predictive power of MIB-1 labeling index and mitotic count (MC) regarding the probability of PFS in the subgroup of skull-base meningiomas. A total of 145 patients were included in this retrospective study. Histopathological examinations and follow-up data were collected. Ideal cut-off values for MIB-1 and MC were ≥4.75 and ≥6.5, respectively. MIB-1 as well as MC were good predictors for PFS in skull-base meningiomas. Time-dependent analysis of MIB-1 and MC in prediction of recurrence of skull-base meningioma showed that their prognostic values were comparable, but different cut-offs for MC should be considered regarding the meningioma's location. As the achievement of a gross total resection can be more challenging in skull-base meningiomas and second surgery implies a higher risk profile, the recurrence risk could be stratified according to these findings and guide decision-making for follow-ups vs. adjuvant therapies.
Keywords: MIB-1; meningioma; mitotic count; progression-free survival; recurrence; skull-base.