title: Up-front temozolomide in elderly patients with glioblastoma.
abstract: Upfront temozolomide (TMZ) is often proposed for elderly patients with malignant gliomas as an alternative to radiotherapy (RT). A recent randomized trial showed that RT provides a survival benefit in elderly glioblastoma patients (>or=70 years) with good performance status (KPS >or= 70) compared with supportive care alone (median survival (MS) = 29.1 vs. 16.9 weeks). We retrospectively analyzed all patients who were eligible for this trial, but who refused to participate and were finally treated with TMZ alone. Thirty-nine eligible patients (median age: 75 years (range 70-83), median KPS: 70 (range 70-80), histologically proven glioblastomas) were treated up-front with oral TMZ for 1-12 cycles (mean = 5). One complete response and 10 partial responses were observed. Overall median survival (MS) was 36 weeks and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 20 weeks for the whole group. MS was 27.4 weeks and PFS was 19.5 weeks for the 27 patients that did not receive second-line treatment at progression. Eight grade III/IV toxicities (seven hematologic, one gastro-intestinal) were seen, but no treatment-related deaths were observed. These preliminary results support further randomized studies comparing TMZ with RT.
authors.affiliation: Service de Neurologie Mazarin, Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, 47 Boulevard de l'Hôpital, 75013 Paris, France. florence.laigle-donadey@psl.aphp.fr
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Laigle-Donadey
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Figarella-Branger
authors.forename: Olivier
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Chinot
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Taillandier
authors.forename: Stéphanie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cartalat-Carel
authors.forename: Jérôme
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Honnorat
authors.forename: Gentian
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kaloshi
authors.forename: Jean-Yves
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Delattre
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sanson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000378:metabolism; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000378:metabolism; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005853:Geriatrics; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D017567:Karnofsky Performance Status; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016019:Survival Analysis; D000077204:Temozolomide; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D003606:Dacarbazine; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C515491:MGMT protein, human; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes; D000077204:Temozolomide