A brain scan measure did not predict survival in glioblastoma
Original title: DTI-ALPS is not independently associated with overall survival beyond established prognostic factors in glioblastoma.
How far along is this research?
- Lab cells
- Animals
- Review
- Tested in people
This was tested in people. That is the most reliable kind of research we share.
This was a scan study that looked back at patient records. It is not a treatment.
The short version
A scan measure of how fluid moves through the brain did not predict how long people with glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary lived.
What was studied. Researchers looked back at the records of 47 people who had surgery for glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. They compared their brain scans with scans from 50 healthy people. The scans measured how well fluid moves through the brain.
What they found. Fluid movement was lower in the people with glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary than in the healthy people. It was lowest on the same side of the brain as the tumor. But this measure did not match up with how long people lived. Two things already known to matter did match up with survival: being female, and how much of the tumor was removed in surgery.
What this means, and what it doesn't
What it could mean: For now, this scan measure does not tell you or your doctor how long you are likely to live. The things doctors already look at, like how much of the tumor a surgeon can take out, still matter more. Nothing about your treatment changes because of this study.
What it doesn't mean: This does not mean brain fluid flow has nothing to do with glioblastoma: The fastest-growing type of glioma (grade 4). Treatment usually starts soon after diagnosis: surgery first, then radiation and chemotherapy. See the glossary. The researchers say their scan method has limits, and they want it studied other ways. This was one look back at old records at a single hospital. It was not a test of any drug or treatment. It is not a promise of a cure, and it is not something a doctor can offer you.
Source: PubMed, August 6, 2026 · Read the original
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