2026 Proffered Presentations
S209: MULTI-INSTITUTIONAL MACHINE-LEARNING PREDICTOR OF GROSS-TOTAL RESECTION IN SKULL-BASE CHONDROSARCOMA
Juan P Zuluaga Garcia, MD, MSc1; Franco Rubino, MD2; Francisco Call Orellana, MD1; Esteban Ramirez-Ferrer, MD1; Geroge Zenonos, MD3; Paul Gardner, MD3; Hanna Algattas, MD3; Juan C Fernadez-Miranda, MD4; Vigo Vera4; Franco DeMonte, MD1; Shaan M Raza, MD1; 1The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; 2Baptist Medical Center; 3University of Pittsburg Medical Center; 4Stanford School of Medicine
Objective: Develop and validate an anatomy-driven model that predicts gross-total resection (GTR) for skull-base chondrosarcomas (SCBs).
Methods: We analyzed 179 consecutive SBCs resected at three academic centers. Thirteen preoperative variables were abstracted: tumor location, internal carotid artery (ICA) encasement, compartmental extensions, cranial-nerve involvement, prior radiotherapy, and approach. Data were split 75/25 into training (n=135) and validation (n=44). Five algorithms were tuned for validation. For interpretability, multivariable logistic GLM and nomogram were refitted. Performance was summarized with AUC, accuracy, sensitivity/specificity, and Brier score.
Results: Anatomic burden varied by zone, cavernous-sinus invasion clustered in peri-lacerum (66.7%) and petroclival (57.0%); jugular-foramen extension mainly petroclival (37.2%); sinonasal/orbital spread characterized midline lesions. Approach selection mirrored: EEA predominated in midline (80%) and common in petroclival (62%), whereas lateral tumors were mostly open (84.6%). GTR was 56% (101/179) overall. In petroclival disease, corridor choice was decisive (p<0.001): ETPA 70.3% GTR vs open 25.7% and midline EEA 36.4%.
|
Petroclival (N=121) |
Peri-lacerum (N=30) |
Lateral (N=13) |
Midline (N=15) |
p-value |
|
| EOR | 0.116 | ||||
| GTR | 61 (50%) | 20 (67%) |
10 (77%) |
10 (67%) | |
| STR | 60 (49%) | 10 (35%) | 3.0 (23%) | 5 (33%) | |
| GTR% x approach | <0.001 | ||||
| Open |
9/35 (26%) |
12/19 (63%) | 9/11 (82%) | 2/3 (67%) | |
|
EE-Midline |
4/11 (36%) |
4/4 (100%) |
5/8 (63%) | ||
| ETPA |
45/64 (70%) |
2/4 (50%) | 0/1 (0%) | 3/4 (75%) | |
| Combined/stage | 3/11 (27%) | 2/3 (67%) | 1/1 (100%) | ||
| Residual disease | <0.001 | ||||
| Petrous Apex | 21 (17%) | 3 (10%) | 2 (15%) | ||
| Meckel’s-cave | 11 (8%) | 3 (11%) | |||
| Cavernous-sinus | 9 (7%) | 6 (23%) | 1 (7%) | ||
| Cavernous-ICA | 3 (2%) | 1 (3%) | |||
| Petrous-ICA | 4 (3%) | 2 (8%) | |||
| Jugular-Foramen | 7 (6%) | 1 (3%) |

Multivariable analysis showed significant lower odds of GTR with graded ICA encasement (90–180° OR=3.12; 181–270° 7.41; 271–359° 9.76; 360° 8.52), prior radiotherapy (OR=4.04), petroclival location (OR=4.72) and infratemporal extension (OR=2.75). ETPA—associated with higher odds of GTR (OR=0.22, p<0.001)—with a favorable trend for midline-EEA (OR=0.37, p=0.063). The GLM achieved AUC=0.756, Brier=0.19 (accuracy=0.818).


Conclusions: Anatomical determinants—particularly petroclival origin, ICA encasement, and lower-cranial-nerve corridors—are the principal barriers to complete resection in SBC. The proposed ML provides a reproducible preoperative tool that aligns corridor choice with individual anatomy, improves likelihood of GTR, and rationalizes use of adjuvant therapy.
