title: Glioblastoma--the consequences of advanced patient age on treatment and survival.
abstract: Glioblastoma is the most common primary brain tumor. Recent evidence suggests that aggressive treatment is also effective in elderly patients. However, large patient series are missing. The aim of this retrospective study was to determine prognostic factors in a large series (n=345) of elderly patients surgically treated for newly diagnosed glioblastoma (WHO grade IV) at a single institution between 1991 and 2002. U-tests (Mann Whitney), chi-square tests, log-rank tests/Kaplan-Meier plots and Cox regression models were used for statistical analysis. Based on the maximum difference in median survival, a threshold of 60 years was used to separate younger from older patients. In total, 185 patients (53.6%) were over 60 years old. In these individuals, total tumor resection, radiotherapy and reoperation for tumor recurrence were identified as independent prognostic factors. When total surgical resection was combined with radiotherapy and reoperation, Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a median survival of up to 64 weeks in elderly patients. Our data indicate that total tumor resection, radiotherapy and reoperation should also be considered in selected elderly patients. Age alone should not generally exclude elderly individuals from aggressive treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Schleswig-Holstein Medical Center Campus Kiel, Schittenhelmstr. 10, 24105 Kiel, Germany. starka@nch.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: Andreas M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: Jürgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hedderich
authors.forename: Janka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Held-Feindt
authors.forename: H Maximilian
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Mehdorn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000401:mortality / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures; D011379:Prognosis; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013534:Survival; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome