MULTIVARIATE-ANALYSIS OF PROGNOSTIC FACTORS IN 106 PATIENTS WITH MALIGNANT GLIOMA

The aim of this study was to evaluate the outcome and prognostic facto rs influencing survival in 106 patients with supratentorial malignant gliomas treated with radiotherapy. The study group included 84 patient s treated by surgery and post-operative radiotherapy and 22 patients t reated by postbiopsy irradiation. Radiotherapy was delivered to the tu mour area with a 2 cm margin, the aimed curative dose was 60 Gy in 6-7 weeks. The 60-month overall survival (Kaplan-Meier) was 20%. Followin g a univariate analysis, younger age (P < 0.001), longer duration of s ymptoms (P = 0.009), good performance status after radiotherapy (P < 0 .001), other than grade 4 histology (P < 0.001) and higher radiation d ose (P < 0.001) were associated with better overall survival rates. Mu ltivariate analysis found that age, symptom duration, histology, exten t of symptoms and radiation dose were independent prognostic factors i nfluencing survival. In conclusion, conventional radiotherapy of supra tentorial malignant gliomas results in survival that is comparable to results from clinical experiments with different fractionation schedul es and radiation with chemotherapy or radiosensitisers. To improve the results, new approaches are needed, especially for patients with the poorest prognosis after standard treatment. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevie r Science Ltd