SURVIVAL IN MALIGNANT ASTROCYTOMA AT KING-KHALID-UNIVERSITY-HOSPITAL

Malignant astrocytoma (Kernohan grade III and IV) still has one of the worst outcomes of all malignant tumors. To determine factors affectin g the survival of patients with malignant astrocytoma in Saudi Arabia, a retrospective study of 76 cases that were treated at King Khalid Un iversity Hospital over one decade was carried out. Kaplan-Meier surviv al diagrams were constructed for each prognostic factor. Twenty-eight percent of cases survived two years, A significantly better survival r ate was found in females, patients less than or equal to 50 years and patients who had re-operation for a recurrence. A better survival rate which did not reach significance was found in patients with grade III tumors, patients with a Karnofsky score of greater than or equal to 7 0 at presentation, patients who had craniotomy and excision and patien ts who had radiotherapy. It is suggested that to improve the outcome o f patients with malignant astrocytoma, aggressive surgical excision wi th radiotherapy (and possibly chemotherapy) is required.