Hypo-fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy improves glioma treatment
Hypo-fractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (H-SRT) was well-tolerated and improved symptoms in patients with recurrent low-grade glioma, according to data presented this week at the 100th annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Denver.
In a subgroup of patients who also received chemotherapy with their H-SRT, the median survival time was more than three times longer than patients who only received H-SRT alone, according to Shannon Fogh, MD, a resident in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
The study included 22 patients with evidence of glioma recurrence, and they were given H-SRT as salvage therapy, and nine of the patients also received chemotherapy. The most common regimen was temozolomide (Temodar).
The median survival time from the time of H-SRT was nine months, the researchers wrote. Eleven of the patients had a response to treatment at six-week follow-up. In the subset of patients who received chemotherapy, the median survival time from time of H-SRT was 17 months vs. four months for patients who only received H-SRT.
The role of chemotherapy needs to be evaluated further, according to Fogh, since the small number of patients in this study prevented a multivariate analysis that would account for age, performance status and tumor size.
"There really is no standard of care for recurrent gliomas," he said. "H-SRT would be an attractive option because it allows a patient to have a shorter course of treatment. In our study, H-SRT was well-tolerated, and all patients were able to complete the full course of treatment."
In a subgroup of patients who also received chemotherapy with their H-SRT, the median survival time was more than three times longer than patients who only received H-SRT alone, according to Shannon Fogh, MD, a resident in radiation oncology at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
The study included 22 patients with evidence of glioma recurrence, and they were given H-SRT as salvage therapy, and nine of the patients also received chemotherapy. The most common regimen was temozolomide (Temodar).
The median survival time from the time of H-SRT was nine months, the researchers wrote. Eleven of the patients had a response to treatment at six-week follow-up. In the subset of patients who received chemotherapy, the median survival time from time of H-SRT was 17 months vs. four months for patients who only received H-SRT.
The role of chemotherapy needs to be evaluated further, according to Fogh, since the small number of patients in this study prevented a multivariate analysis that would account for age, performance status and tumor size.
"There really is no standard of care for recurrent gliomas," he said. "H-SRT would be an attractive option because it allows a patient to have a shorter course of treatment. In our study, H-SRT was well-tolerated, and all patients were able to complete the full course of treatment."