The increased chemosensitivity of oligodendroglial tumours has been associated with loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of the p arm of chromosome 1 and the q arm of chromosome 19 (LOH 1p/19q). Other clinical and molecular factors have also been identified as being prognostic and predictive of treatment outcome. We reviewed 105 patients with oligodendroglioma treated at a single centre over 20 years. Median survival in oligodendroglioma patients with LOH 1p/19q was significantly longer (10.9 vs. 2.0 years). In the anaplastic oligodendroglioma group, univariate analysis demonstrated decreased patient age, presentation with seizures, use of adjuvant chemotherapy and LOH 1p/19q as predictors of improved survival. Multivariate analysis confirmed LOH 1p/19q as a significant predictor of improved survival (hazard ratio, 3.4; p=0.015). Median survival in patients with anaplastic oligodendroglioma with LOH 1p/19q was 15.4 years vs. 1.2 years for those without LOH 1p/19q. This study confirms the utility of LOH 1p/19q as a prognostic marker in oligodendroglioma.
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