Continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy in the treatment of high-grade astrocytomas.
Between May 1993 and January 1995, 36 patients with high-grade astrocytomas were treated with 1.05 Gy continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy three times daily to a total target dose of 59.85 Gy in 19 days with 6-h intervals. The median age of the patients was 51 years and the median follow-up was 58 weeks. The median survival rate was 58 weeks and the cumulative survival rate was 22% at 2 years. No severe toxicity occurred in patients treated with this fractionation scheme. These results suggest that continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy is an altered fractionation schedule for high-grade astrocytomas with tolerable acute toxicity and survival rates comparable to conventional fractionation and to other altered fractionation schedules.
University of Istanbul, Cerrahpaşa Medical School, Department of Radiation Oncology, Turkey.
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NS
Beşe
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O
Uzel
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Turkan
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Okkan
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D019583:Dose Fractionation, Radiation; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015996:Survival Rate