[Prognostic analysis of patients with cerebral glioma treated with radiotherapy]

Abstract

Background & objective: Surgery is the major treatment for glioma, and radiotherapy is often needed after operation. This study was to evaluate prognostic factors of patients with cerebral glioma treated with radiotherapy.

Methods: Records of 158 patients with cerebral glioma, including 123 patients with astrocytoma (AC), 12 patients with oligodendroglioma (OD) or mixed oligoastrocytoma (OA), and 23 patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), received radiotherapy in our center were analyzed. Eighty patients received total resection, 77 received subtotal resection, and 1 received biopsy before radiotherapy. Median radiation dose was 58 Gy (36-75 Gy). Median waiting time from operation to radiotherapy was 29 days (12-261 days). Sixty-eight patients received chemotherapy before or after radiotherapy. Cox model was used for univariate and multivariate analysis.

Results: Median follow-up was 23 months (2-62 months), 27 patients relapsed, and 57 patients died. The 2- and 4-year overall survival rate were 66.5% and 45.7%. Univariate analysis showed that histologic grade (I/II vs. II/IV), histologic type (AC/OD vs. GBM), Karnofsky performance state (KPS) before radiotherapy (>/=80 vs.< 80), extent of resection (total vs non-total), and age(</=40 years vs. >40 years) were significant predictors in association with overall survival rate of patients with glioma. Multivariate analysis showed that histologic grade (P=0.001), age (P=0.006), KPS before radiotherapy (P=0.009), and extent of resection (P=0.037) were independent prognostic factors of glioma.

Conclusion: Low grade (I/II), age </=40 years, KPS>/=80 before radiotherapy, and total resection are independent factors for predicting better survival of glioma patients.