title: Reoperation for malignant astrocytomas: personal experience and a review of the literature.
abstract: All patients in a randomized study comparing chemotherapy with chemotherapy plus radiotherapy for patients with astrocytomas grade 3 and 4, were considered for reoperation when tumour progression was established. Fifty-eight patients were reoperated and 85 were not. Different prognostic factors, such as age, sex, Karnofsky performance status and reoperation were evaluated univariately and simultaneously in a multivariate model. The Karnofsky index and age were found to be independent prognostic factors, while re-operation could not be demonstrated to prolong life when controlled for age and the Karnofsky index. We review the literature on re-operation of malignant astrocytomas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital, Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Strömblad
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Malmström
authors.forename: L G
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Salford
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D012086:Reoperation; D015996:Survival Rate