Over one year of survival difference between distinct cohorts of glioblastoma patients

Abstract

<p>Understanding the differences in outcomes based on study and patient characteristics can inform better research designs and improve the interpretation of translational glioblastoma studies. This study compared the clinical features and median overall survival (mOS) of 2,203 patients from two genomic cohorts (The Cancer Genome Atlas [TCGA] and the Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas [CGGA]) and two consecutive regional cohorts (Hong Kong [HK] and Southeast [SE] Scotland) with histologically confirmed glioblastoma. Differences in clinical characteristics reflected the distinct patient selection criteria for surgery. While the mOS were similar, the mOS of those who completed temozolomide chemoradiotherapy were 35.2 months in SE Scotland, 22.2 in HK, and 14.1 in the TCGA cohort. Survival functions were comparable in the multivariable survival analysis. Our findings highlight how a lack of clinical data impedes the translational value of research. Therefore, there is a need to develop common data elements to derive meaningful conclusions.<br></p>