Socioeconomic influences on survival outcome in idh-wildtype glioma patients: examining the role of age, education, and lifestyle factors.

Background: Socioeconomic factors influence survival in different cancer types. This study aimed to assess the impact of various socioeconomic factors, including education, marital status, lifestyle, and social network, on survival in patients with Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) wildtype gliomas.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 309 adult patients with de novo diagnosed IDH wildtype gliomas who underwent surgical treatment at our institution between 2014 and 2022. Socioeconomic factors, including education, marital status, employment, language, lifestyle (alcohol abuse, smoking, BMI), and social network were assessed. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression models.

Results: Education, alcohol abuse, and age significantly influenced OS. Patients with higher education had significantly lower tumor volumes (p = 0.037) and longer survival (p = 0.001). Alcohol abuse was associated with significantly shorter OS (8.6 vs. 17.9 months, p = 0.034). Patients aged over 65 years showed significantly shorter OS in this study (14.9 months vs 33.2 months, p < 0.001). Native and non-native German speakers had similar outcomes. Marital status did not significantly affect survival.

Conclusion: Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, especially higher education and alcohol abuse, significantly impact survival in IDH wildtype glioma patients. These findings suggest that, in addition to molecular features and oncological treatment, socioeconomic and lifestyle factors also play a crucial role in influencing the prognosis of patients with IDH wildtype gliomas.