title: Radiotherapy and combination chemotherapy with carmustine, vincristine, and procarbazine (BVP) in primary brain tumors.
abstract: 26 patients with astrocytoma grade II-III, and 36 with malignant glioma (astrocytoma grade IV or glioblastoma) were submitted three days after surgery to a cycle of combination chemotherapy, including BCNU, VCR, PCZ (BVP). Eighteen days after surgery, patients received 40 Gy (astrocytoma grade II-III) or 45 Gy (malignant glioma) of megavoltage whole-brain irradiation, with an additional boost to the 'tumor' bed of 20 Gy, delivered in 6 weeks. Vincristine was injected weekly during radiotherapy. At the end of radiotherapy, patients received BVP every 6 weeks for at least 8 cycles or until a recurrence or progressive disease. Performance status of grade 1 or 2 was achieved in 15 (60%) and in 5 (20%), respectively, of patients with astrocytoma grade II-III after 6 months, and in 6 ps. (29%) and in 9 ps. (42%) after 12 months of follow-up. Only 2 (5.5%) and 18 (64%) patients with malignant glioma achieved a performance status of grade 1 or 2 after 6 months, and these proportions are 6% and 35%, respectively, after 12 months. After a 5-year follow-up, 59% of patients with astrocytoma are still alive, with a median survival time of 60+ months, whereas only 4% of patients with malignant glioma are alive, with a median of 11.2 months.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comella
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scoppa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: De Marco
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Ianniello
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Melillo
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coucourde
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zarrilli
mesh_terms: D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001254:Astrocytoma / Q000628:therapy; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D002330:Carmustine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000628:therapy; D005910:Glioma / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D011344:Procarbazine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011379:Prognosis; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D014750:Vincristine / Q000008:administration & dosage
chemical_list: D011344:Procarbazine; D014750:Vincristine; D002330:Carmustine