title: Prognostic factors influencing the outcome of thalamic glioma.
abstract: Retrospective analysis of 27 patients of thalamic glioma including adults and children treated over a period of 7 years from 1991-1997 was done. The study group included 19 males and 8 females; 9 patients were less than 15 years and 18 patients more than 15 years of age at the time of diagnosis. The commonest symptoms were headache and vomiting. 12 patients underwent VP shunt as an initial procedure and 7 underwent total or partial surgical resection. Confirmed histopathological examination was possible in 16 patients; while 12 had low grade astrocytoma, 4 cases had high grade histology. All patients were treated with radiotherapy to a total dose of 50-60 Gy in 25-30 fractions. Median follow up was 9.63 months. The disease free survival in these patients was 28% at 2 years. Prognostic factors which included age, sex, duration of symptoms, surgical procedures, histology and radiotherapy dose were evaluated for significance. A subtotal resection conferred a better prognosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Ansari Nagar, New Delhi, 110029, India.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pathy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jayalakshmi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chander
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: P K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Julka
authors.forename: G K
authors.initials: GK
authors.lastname: Rath
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005910:Glioma / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013786:Thalamic Diseases / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome