Serum lipids concentration on prognosis of high-grade glioma

Objective To investigate the effect of serum lipids concentration on the prognosis of high-grade glioma patients undergoing postoperative radiotherapy. Methods Retrospective analysis of the patients with high-grade glioma who received postoperative Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy between 13 May 2013 and 12 September 2018 was performed. The patients were grouped according to the average values of serum total cholesterol, LDL, and HDL concentration in peripheral blood (before surgery, 6 months after therapy). Cox proportional hazards model was performed to determine whether the total cholesterol concentration, LDL concentration, and HDL concentration in peripheral blood before therapy and their changes after therapy were factors influencing the prognosis. Results The results of COX regression analysis showed that the independent prognostic factors of high-grade glioma patients were pathological grade, the extent of resection, serum cholesterol concentration pre-surgery, and the change of LDL concentration from pre-surgery to post-therapy. The prognosis of patients with high serum total cholesterol concentration before therapy was worse than those of patients with low total cholesterol concentration. The 5-year survival rate and the median survival time of patients with high serum total cholesterol concentration before therapy were 4.9% and 23.6 months, but the low cholesterol concentration group were 19.6% and 24.5 months, respectively. Besides, the average serum LDL concentration in high-grade glioma patients gradually increased after therapy. The 5-year survival rate of patients and the median survival time with elevated LDL concentration after therapy is 11.8% and 20.4 months, but the reduced LDL concentration group was 16.7% and 28.4 months, respectively. The total cholesterol and LDL concentration increased significantly after therapy in Grade IV patients while Grade III patients did not. Conclusions The cholesterol concentration before therapy and LDL concentration change from pre-surgery to post-therapy are the factors that affect the prognosis of high-grade glioma patients who have undergone postoperative radiotherapy. In the final analysis, the high serum cholesterol pre-surgery and the increased in serum LDL concentration from pre-surgery to post-therapy were associated with worse survival of patients.