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Radiation therapy combined with radiosensitizing agents for cerebral glioblastoma in adults

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Abstract

We analyzed our treatment results of 71 operated patients with cerebral glioblastoma treated by conventional external radiation therapy (mean dose 60.2 Gy) combined with radiosensitizing agents. More than 50% reduction of tumor volume was obtained in 20 patients (28.2%). A response rate of at least 40% was obtained in patients treated with combined ACNU-vincristine-nicardipine, ACNU-5FU-hydroxyurea, or cisplatin alone. The combination of ACNU and vincristine with or without nicardipine resulted in significantly longer survival. The median survival in this group was 101.1 weeks and the two-year survival rate was 45.9%; these results were significantly better than those achieved with other ACNU combinations or other combinations without ACNU. In the analysis of survival, factors correlated to longer survival were a patient age of younger than 45 years, wide resection of the tumor, a good postoperative performance status (KS ≥70%), a radiation dose of 68–72 Gy, small postoperative tumor remnants (< 20 cm3), no visible tumor after radiation therapy, and the administration of adjuvant chemotherapy. Maximum resection of the tumor and localized irradiation with a dose of 70 Gy combined with ACNU and vincristine appears to be the most effective treatment at present.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurosurgery, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Masao Matsutani, Osamu Nakamura, Masanao Nakamura, Tadashi Nagashima, Akio Asai, Takamitsu Fujimaki, Hideki Tanaka & Keisuke Ueki

  2. Department of Radiation Therapy, Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital, Tokyo, Japan

    Yoshiaki Tanaka

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  1. Masao Matsutani
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  2. Osamu Nakamura
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  3. Masanao Nakamura
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  4. Tadashi Nagashima
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Matsutani, M., Nakamura, O., Nakamura, M. et al. Radiation therapy combined with radiosensitizing agents for cerebral glioblastoma in adults. J Neuro-Oncol 19, 227–237 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01053276

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