Primary glioblastoma multiforme in younger patients: a single-institution experience.
OBJECTIVE
To report our experience of patients with primary glioblastoma multiforme of young age by evaluating the characteristics, prognostic factors, and treatment outcomes.


METHODS
Seventy patients with primary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treated at our department between 1996 and 2004 were studied. The male-female ratio was 2.6:1. The median age was 53 (16-74). Sixty-eight patients (97%) were operated on before radiotherapy and 2 patients (3%) underwent only stereotactic biopsy. All patients received radiotherapy. Postoperative chemotherapy as an adjuvant to radiotherapy was given to 9 patients (12%). The patients were divided into 2 groups according to their age (group A < or = 35 years, n = 21 vs group B > 35 years, n = 49). Survival was determined with the Kaplan-Meier method and differences were compared using the log-rank test. Cox regression analysis was performed to identify the independent prognostic factors. Karnofsky performance status (> or = 70 vs < 70), age (< or = 35 vs > 35 years), gender, tumor size (< or = 4 vs > 4 cm), number of involved brain lobes (1 vs more than 1), type of surgery (total vs subtotal), preoperative seizure history (present vs absent), radiotherapy field (total cranium vs partial), total radiotherapy dose (60 vs 66 Gy), and adjuvant chemotherapy (present vs absent) were evaluated in univariate analysis.


RESULTS
The median survival was 10.3 months in the whole group, 19.5 months in the younger age group and 5.7 months in the older age group. During follow-up re-craniotomy was performed in 2 patients (3%), and 1 patient (1%) developed spinal seeding metastases and was given spinal radiotherapy. In univariate analysis younger age vs older age: median 19.5 months vs 5.27 months (P = 0.0012); Karnofsky performance status > or = 70 vs < 70: median 15.3 months vs 2.67 months (P < 0.0001), and external radiotherapy dose 60 Gy vs 66 Gy: median 11.6 months vs 3 months (P = 0.02) were found as significant prognostic factors for survival. In regression analysis a worse performance status (KPS <70) was found to be the only independent factor for survival (P = 0.014, 95% CI HR = 0.0043 [0.0001-0.15]).


CONCLUSIONS
Younger patients with primary glioblastoma multiforme had a relatively long survival (median, 19.5 months, with a 2-year survival rate of 30%) compared to older patients. This was due particularly to their better performance status.
Ulutin
Cüneyt
C
Department of Radiation Oncology, GATA Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. culutin@yahoo.com
Fayda
Merdan
M
Aksu
Gorkem
G
Cetinayak
Oguz
O
Kuzhan
Okan
O
Ors
Fatih
F
Beyzadeoglu
Murat
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D017024:Chemotherapy, Adjuvant; D003399:Craniotomy; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D018714:Radiotherapy, Adjuvant; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome