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who were still alive at last contact were treated as 37.6 vs. 199 U/mL, P = 0.01). There was no significant
censored events in the analysis. A two-sided P < 0.05 difference between gliomas and meningiomas with
was considered to be statistically significant. respect to IgE levels (P = 0.8).

RESULTS Survival analysis in glioblastoma
Two patients died in the immediate postoperative period
Tables 1 and 2 summarize the patient data. Eighty-four whereas another two patients were lost to follow-up.
patients (44 males, 40 females, mean age 59.3 ± 13.3) After a mean follow-up period of 12.4 months, 10 patients
met the inclusion criteria for the study. All patients had were alive. Using receiver operator characteristic curve
a single space-occupying lesion and were operated. The analysis a cut-off IgE value of 24 U/mL was identified
histological diagnosis were 42 gliomas (31 glioblastomas, as the best predicting survival with 72.2% sensitivity
4 gliosarcomas, 3 anaplastic astrocytomas, 1 Grade II and 100% specificity. Patients with IgE value exceeding
astrocytoma, 1 pilocytic astrocytoma, 1 oligodendroglioma 24 U/mL lived longer (P = 0.01).
and 1 oligoastrocytoma), 23 meningiomas (20 benign and
3 atypical meningiomas), 16 metastases (10 lung cancer, DISCUSSION
1 ovarian cancer, 2 colon cancer, 1 melanoma and 2 of
unknown primary origin) and 3 primary central nervous The present study investigated serum IgE levels in
system lymphomas (PCNSL). Among gliomas, 5 patients patients with intracranial tumors. The results showed
reported an allergic condition. In meningiomas, there that glioma and meningioma patients had lower serum
were 5 patients with an allergic condition and 4 cases IgE levels than patients with a metastatic brain lesion.
in patients with a metastatic lesion. The difference Patients with high-grade gliomas had lower serum
was not statistically significant. No difference in IgE IgE levels than patients with low-grade gliomas. In
levels was found between men and women (P = 0.7). glioblastomas, patients with serum IgE levels exceeding
In gliomas the mean IgE levels were 58.9 ± 87.9 U/mL. 24 U/mL had a better survival.
Patients with high-grade gliomas had lower IgE levels
than patients with low-grade gliomas. However the A large body of research showed that allergies may
difference was not statistically significant (median play a role in a diverse group of cancers including
24 vs. 74.6 U/mL, P = 0.067). In meningiomas, the brain tumors, leukemia, pancreatic cancer, and other
[4]
mean IgE levels were 65.8 ± 77.7 U/mL. No significant tumors. An inverse association has been reported
[4]
difference was found between benign and atypical between allergy history and cancer risk. Turner et al.
meningiomas (P = 0.9). In metastatic lesions, the mean studied 793 glioma, 832 meningioma, 394 acoustic
IgE levels were 226.8 ± 203 U/mL. In PCNSL, the mean neuroma, 84 parotid gland tumor cases and 2,520
IgE levels were 150.8 ± 240.9 U/mL. Patients with controls and found a significant inverse association
gliomas had statistical significant lower IgE levels than between a history of any allergy and glioma, meningioma
[5]
patients with metastases (median 32.7 vs. 199 U/mL, and acoustic neuroma. Various hypotheses have
P = 0.0022). Patients with meningiomas had statistical been proposed to explain the associations between
significant lower IgE levels than metastases (median allergy and cancer. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms
of inflammatory-related genes, such as interleukin-4,
Table 1: Patients data FCER1A and interleukin-10, have been associated with
[6]
Patient characteristics n (%) glioma risk. In gliomas, a large nested case-control study
Gender showed that a positive test for increased concentrations
Male 44 (52.3) of total IgE (> 100 kU/L) was statistically significantly
Female 40 (47.7) associated with decreased risk of glioma compared with
Age
> 65 51 (60.7) a negative test. A lower risk for glioblastoma and glioma
< 65 33 (39.3) at least 20 years before diagnosis was found for those that
Reported allergy asthma tested positive for total IgE. Wiemels et al. found that IgE
[7]
Yes 14 (16.7)
No 70 (83.3) levels were strongly inversely associated with glioma and
in particular, IgE to dietary allergens. A weaker association
[2]
Table 2: IgE levels according to diagnosis was found for respiratory allergens. Antihistamine use
Histology IgE levels (U/mL) was strongly associated with glioma risk when allergy
Glioma or asthma history existed, but not among those with a
[8]
High‑grade 42.7 ± 47.6 negative history. In the present study, we found that
Low‑grade 117.8 ± 119 glioma patients had the lowest IgE levels. High-grade
Meningioma
Benign 68.2 ± 81.6 tumors had lower serum IgE levels than low-grade
Atypical 54.3 ± 33.3 tumors. IgE levels should be measured at presentation
Metastases 150.8 ± 240.9 since dexamethasone, which is, usually, administered

16 Neuroimmunol Neuroinflammation | Volume 2 | Issue 1 | January 15, 2015