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Primary brain and other central nervous system (CNS) cancers cause major burdens. In this study, we introduced a measure named the Quality of Care Index (QCI), which indirectly evaluates the quality of care given to patients with this group of cancers. Here we aimed to compare different geographic and socioeconomic patterns of CNS cancer care according to the novel measure introduced. In this regard, we acquired age-standardized primary epidemiologic measures were acquired from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study 1990-2017. The primary measures were combined to make four secondary indices which all of them indirectly show the quality of care given to patients. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) method was utilized to calculate the essential component named QCI. Further analyses were made based on QCI to assess the quality of care globally, regionally, and nationally (with a scale of 0-100 which higher values represent better quality of care). For 2017, the global calculated QCI was 55.0. QCI showed a desirable condition in higher socio-demographic index (SDI) quintiles. Oppositely, low SDI quintile countries (7.7) had critically worse care quality. Western Pacific Region with the highest (76.9) and African Region with the lowest QCIs (9.9) were the two WHO regions extremes. Singapore was the country with the maximum QCI of 100, followed by Japan (99.9) and South Korea (98.9). In contrast, Swaziland (2.5), Lesotho (3.5), and Vanuatu (3.9) were countries with the worse condition. While the quality of care for most regions was desirable, regions with economic constraints showed to have poor quality of care and require enforcements toward this lethal diagnosis.

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Background:Primary spinal primitive neuroectodermal tumors (PNET) and/or spinal extraskeletal Ewing's sarcoma family tumors (ESET) are rare lesions appearing in the spinal extradural space. One hundred forty-one primary spinal PNETs, including 29 intramedullary lesions, have been reported in the literature. Encountering a case of primary epidural EES/peripheral PNET (pPNET) in sacral level, which is the fifth one occurring at this level in the literature, we have tried to conduct a meta-analysis of the reported cases.Case Description:A 44-year-old lady with epidural EES/pPNET is reported here. She was once operated for L5/S1 herniated disc, which did not ameliorate her symptoms. The clinical, imaging, surgical, and histopathologic characteristics of our case are presented and wide search of the literature is also done. All the reports were level 3 or less evidences and most of the series had missing parts. 106 cases of primary intraspinal (extradural/extramedullary-intradural) EES/pPNET and 29 cases of primary intramedullary PNET (CNS-PNET) have been reported in the literature. The most common clinical presentation in both entities was muscle weakness proportionate to the tumor location. Distant metastasis occurred in 38 of 99 (38%) cases of primary intraspinal EES/pPNET, while the rate of metastasis was 48% in patients with PNETs occurring in the intramedullary region (P > 0.05). One-year survival rate of the patients who underwent chemo-radiation after total or subtotal resection was better than those who did not receive chemotherapy or radiotherapy, or did not have total or subtotal resection. However, this difference was not repeated in 2-year survival rate in any of the tumor groups.Conclusion:It seems that total or subtotal removal of the tumor and adjuvant chemo- and radiation therapy can improve the outcome in these patients.

DW MRI was useful to predict the tumor consistency, collagen content and the chance of removal of pituitary macroadenomas through endoscopic transsphenoidal surgery, and is recommended in the preoperative patient evaluation.

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The authors report the clinical features, imaging and surgical findings, and follow-up of 5 rare cases of schwannoma of the middle fossa with possible origin from the greater superficial petrosal nerve (GSPN). All patients presented to a single neurosurgical institution. The study design was a prospective follow-up of 5 cases of schwannomas of the middle fossa that most likely originated from the GSPN. The presenting features were burning pain in the eyes in 2 cases, epilepsy and behavioral changes in 2 cases, and headache in 1 case. Imaging studies showed a subtemporal mass on the anterosuperior aspect of the petrous bone in all cases. An enhancing tail on the MR images was highly suggestive of the origin of the tumor from the GSPN. All tumors were removed through a subtemporal extra- or intradural approach. Partial to complete peripheral facial nerve palsy was encountered after surgery in 3 cases, which recovered completely. Dry eye was the long-term permanent deficit in all cases. Mid- to long-term follow-up of the cases has not revealed any tumor recurrence. The 5 cases of schwannoma of the middle fossa with possible origin from GSPN were managed successfully, and their clinical presentation, differential diagnosis, and management are discussed.