Concurrent carbogen and radiation therapy in children with high-risk brainstem gliomas

Abstract

In an attempt to improve local control, we assessed the feasibility of the addition of 4 min of carbogen inhalation (as a radiosensitizer) to daily fractionated radiotherapy in pediatric patients with high grade and/or diffuse brainstem gliomas. Ten patients inhaled carbogen for >90% of the radiation treatments. Median survival time from start of therapy was 0.80 years. Carbogen inhalation did not appear to improve the dismal prognosis.