Prognosis

The prognosis for patients with DIPG is very poor, with most studies indicating a median survival of less than 1 year from diagnosis. In a review of clinical studies, median overall survival ranged from 4-17 months, with median progression-free survival of 3-10 months. Overall survival at 1 year ranged from 14-70%, at 2 years from 0–25%, and at 3 years from 0-10%.1

In a series of studies, the median time between progression and death is just 1-4.5 months.2 Favorable predictors of prognosis include; age ≤3 years, and longer symptom duration at diagnosis.3,4,5

  1. Jansen, M.H., et al., Diffuse intrinsic pontine gliomas: A systematic update on clinical trials and biology. Cancer treatment reviews, 2012. 38(1): p. 27-35.
  2. Hargrave, D., U. Bartels, and E. Bouffet, Diffuse brainstem glioma in children: Critical review of clinical trials. The lancet oncology, 2006. 7(3): p. 241-8.
  3. Jansen MH, Veldhuijzen van Zanten SE, Sanchez Aliaga E, et al. Survival prediction model of children with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma based on clinical and radiological criteria. Neuro Oncol. 2014; 0, 1–7.
  4. Broniscer A, Laningham FH, Sanders RP, et al. Young age may predict a better outcome for children with diffuse pontine glioma. Cancer. 2008;113(3):566 – 572.
  5. Ueoka DI, Nogueira J, Campos JC, et al. Brainstem gliomas - retrospective analysis of 86 patients. J Neurol Sci. 2009;281(1–2): 20–23.