Adjuvant nitrosourea therapy for glioblastoma.
An attempt was made to evaluate the potential advantages of chemotherapy in the treatment of 62 patients with glioblastoma. Twenty-four of the 62 patients received adjuvant nitrosourea chemotherapy with carmustine (BCNU), lomustine (CCNU), or semustine (methyl CCCNU) in addition to surgery and radiotherapy. Thirty-three of the 62 patients were involved in a controlled, prospective, randomly allocated study. Quality or quantity of survival was not prolonged in patients who received chemotherapy. Age greater than 64 years, a severe postoperative neurological deficit, or the onset of symptoms less than 12 months prior to surgery were associated with a worse prognosis. The valid evaluation of the effect of a form of treatment on survival in patients with glioblastoma is contingent on the regorous avoidance of preselected factors that may predispose the treated group to a more favorable prognosis.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D002330:Carmustine / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D008130:Lomustine / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012673:Semustine / Q000627:therapeutic use* / Q000633:toxicity
D009607:Nitrosourea Compounds; D012673:Semustine; D008130:Lomustine; D002330:Carmustine