Administration of Valproic Acid Improves the Survival of Patients with Glioma Treated with Postoperative Radiotherapy

Oncol Res Treat. 2022;45(11):650-659. doi: 10.1159/000526327. Epub 2022 Aug 19.

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of valproic acid (VPA) on survival and prognosis of patients with glioma who underwent postoperative radiotherapy.

Methods: We obtained the case data with brain glioma who underwent postoperative radiotherapy from January 2012 to December 2019. This cohort was heterogeneous. We conducted single-factor analysis and multiple-factors analysis of the basic features, pathological classification, therapies of all 185 patients using Kaplan-Meier survival curve, log-rank survival significance test, and Cox regression analysis model.

Results: By the end of the last follow-up, 94 patients had died and 96 had recurred in all 185 cases. The median follow-up time of this study was 47 months. The median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) times were 34 and 27 months, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year OS rates were 86.49%, 48.11%, and 14.60%, respectively. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year PFS rates were 80.00%, 43.78%, and 12.97%, respectively. Univariate analysis revealed that age, pathological grade, and VPA administration were all associated with patients' prognosis (p < 0.05). A Cox multivariate analysis revealed that being 47 years or older, having a high pathological grade (WHO grades III and IV), and not taking VPA were all adverse prognostic factors for OS and PFS in patients with glioma.

Conclusion: Age, pathological grade, and VPA administration are the influencing factors for the prognosis of glioma patients with postoperative radiotherapy. Patients with glioma who received VPA had a more favorable prognosis and a lower recurrence rate.

Keywords: Brain glioma; Overall survival; Prognostic factor; Progression-free survival; Valproic acid.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms* / radiotherapy
  • Glioma* / pathology
  • Glioma* / radiotherapy
  • Humans
  • Kaplan-Meier Estimate
  • Prognosis
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Survival Rate
  • Valproic Acid / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Valproic Acid