title: Correlation between O6-methylguanine-DNA methyltransferase and survival in elderly patients with glioblastoma treated with radiotherapy plus concomitant and adjuvant temozolomide.
abstract: Epigenetic silencing of the O(6)-methylguanine-DNA-methyltransferase (MGMT) gene by promoter methylation is correlated with improved progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in adult patients with newly diagnosed glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) who receive alkylating agents. The aim of this study is to determine the correlation between MGMT and survival in elderly patients with GBM treated with radiotherapy (RT) and temozolomide (TMZ). Eighty-three patients aged 70 years or older with histologically confirmed GBM treated with RT plus TMZ between February 2005 and September 2009 were investigated in this study. The methylation status of the MGMT promoter was determined by polymerase chain reaction analysis. Median PFS and OS were 7.5 and 12.8 months, respectively. The MGMT promoter was methylated in 42 patients (50.6%) and unmethylated in 41 patients (49.4%). Median OS was 15.3 months in methylated patients and 10.2 months in unmethylated patients (P = 0.0001). Median PFS was 10.5 months in methylated tumors and 5.5 months in unmethylated tumors (P = 0.0001). On multivariate analysis MGMT methylation status emerged as the strongest independent prognostic factor for OS and PFS (P = 0.004 and P = 0.005, respectively). The results of the present study suggest that MGMT methylation status might be an important prognostic factor associated with better OS and PFS in elderly patients with GBM treated with RT and TMZ.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiation Oncology, Sant' Andrea Hospital, University La Sapienza, Via di Grottarossa 1035, 00189, Rome, Italy. Giuseppe.Minniti@ospedalesantandrea.it
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Minniti
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salvati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Arcella
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Buttarelli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: D'Elia
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lanzetta
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Esposito
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Scarpino
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maurizi Enrici
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Giangaspero
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases / Q000235:genetics*; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes / Q000235:genetics*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000235:genetics; D003606:Dacarbazine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D057890:Epigenomics; D005260:Female; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000235:genetics* / Q000401:mortality* / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic / Q000235:genetics; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D015996:Survival Rate; D000077204:Temozolomide; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D018906:Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D025521:Tumor Suppressor Proteins; D003606:Dacarbazine; D015254:DNA Modification Methylases; C515491:MGMT protein, human; D045643:DNA Repair Enzymes; D000077204:Temozolomide