Two-Stage Surgery in Patients with Diffuse Glioma—Indications, Implications and Outcome

Jeising S, Reinken J, Rapp M, Sabel M, Staub-Bartelt F (2026)


Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Book Volume: 18

Article Number: 722

Journal Issue: 5

DOI: 10.3390/cancers18050722

Abstract

Introduction: Significant studies have substantiated the evidence for complete resection of intrinsic brain tumours in recent years. However, achieving this through a single surgery is not always possible due to tumour localisation in eloquent areas. Therefore, the present analysis aimed to evaluate surgical outcomes in a cohort of patients undergoing planned two-stage glioma surgery. Methods: Patients who underwent surgery for diffusely infiltrating brain tumours between 2013 and 2023 at the Department of Neurosurgery at Düsseldorf University Hospital were screened for undergoing two-stage surgery, defined by a priori-considered surgical re-intervention up to 6 weeks after the initial surgery. Results: Of 1558 patients with glioma, 447 underwent multiple surgeries, of whom 36 underwent planned two-stage surgery during the course of their disease. Two-stage surgery was performed mostly as glioma surgery at first diagnosis (75%). The mean time between the first and second surgery was 11.67 days (±7.59). Two-stage surgery was performed due to various reasons, mostly in localisations that required multifocal approaches (47.2%), due to non-compliance during initial awake surgery (30.6%), or cases with primary debulking for subsequent awake-surgery approaches (22.2%). Tumours were mainly located in the left hemisphere (50%) (right hemisphere 25%, or bilateral 25%) and motor- or speech-eloquent in 61.11%. Tumours were 72.2% IDH-wildtype. An intended complete resection result was achieved in 58.88% after the second surgery, changing from 93.94% submaximal resection to 58.88% supramaximal and maximal resection after the second surgery. Second surgery significantly reduced residual tumour volume of both T1-CE (Wilcoxon signed-rank test, Z = −4.62, p < 0.001) and T2-nCE (Z = −4.62, p < 0.001). In contrast, functional (KPS: Z = −0.93, p = 0.350) and neurological status (NIHSS: Z = −0.89, p = 0.372) did not significantly change. Perioperative complications of the second surgery occurred in nine (25%) cases, requiring surgical intervention under general anaesthesia or ICU treatment (Clavien–Dindo grade IIIb/IV) in six (16.67%) cases. Conclusion: Planned two-stage surgery was mostly performed as a surgical strategy in eloquent locations to achieve supramaximal or maximal resection. A two-staged surgery significantly extended resection results without neurological and functional deterioration. Despite relevant complication rates, primary debulking followed by staged resection as well as two-staged multifocal approaches may yield a favourable risk–benefit profile.

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How to cite

APA:

Jeising, S., Reinken, J., Rapp, M., Sabel, M., & Staub-Bartelt, F. (2026). Two-Stage Surgery in Patients with Diffuse Glioma—Indications, Implications and Outcome. Cancers, 18(5). https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18050722

MLA:

Jeising, Sebastian, et al. "Two-Stage Surgery in Patients with Diffuse Glioma—Indications, Implications and Outcome." Cancers 18.5 (2026).

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