[Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors and survival in patients with "glioblastoma multiforme"].
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the survival of patients with "glioblastoma multiforme", to analyse the prognostic factors influencing the survival rate and to review recent results in the literature.


METHODS
Seventy five patients underwent radiation treatment between May 1998 and April 2003. Among the factors under investigation we ascertained that sex, chemotherapy, conformal treatment, surgery, and the choice of the irradiation area (whole brain or only the involved field) did not influence the survival in a statistically significant manner.


RESULTS
Whereas age and total dose were the 95% statistically significant variables. Hazard ratio of patients older than 58 years compared to younger patients was 1.69. The death risk was 69% in older than younger patients. A greater irradiation dose improved the survival with an increase of the median survival days. The total dose lower than 6000 cGy caused an increase of 81.8% in the death risk. The median survival from the diagnosis to the death was 14.7 months (446 days) and 1-, 2- and 3- year survival rate was 69.3%, 38.4%, and 14.7% respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The current medical literature and our experience attests that the use of temozolomide improves the survival of these patients.
Tramacere
F
F
Unità Operativa di Radioterapia AUSL BR1, Ospedale Perrino, Brindisi. francescotramacere@libero.it
Gianicolo
E
E
Serinelli
M
M
Bambace
S
S
De Luca
Mc
M
Castagna
R
R
Francavilla
M C
MC
Leone
A
A
Monastero
S
S
Fucilli
F
F
Pili
G
G
Distante
A
A
Portaluri
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D016371:Cranial Irradiation; D003399:Craniotomy; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D020266:Radiotherapy, Conformal; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000077204:Temozolomide; D055815:Young Adult
D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D003606:Dacarbazine; D000077204:Temozolomide